Parents want a lot of things for their children. We want them to be healthy, happy, and fulfilled in life. In everything we try to teach to our children, we hope that we are helping them to grow into kind, responsible adults. One of the key traits we would like for our children to have is a generous spirit. As children grow, they realize that the world doesn’t revolve around them, and it’s up to their parents to teach them about how other people matter just as much. Here we will look at how to encourage children to give back.

Here are a few helpful tips on how to encourage children to give back:

Lead By Example

When it comes down to it, children often simply mimic what they see their parents doing. One of the easiest ways to foster generosity in your child is to be generous yourself. When you show your child how important giving back is to you, it impresses the idea that giving back is the right thing to do. Remember to explain the reasons behind your generosity and how it makes you feel.

Let Them Choose What To Give

Forcing a task like giving away old things to charity onto children is a quick way to make them resent the idea of doing it. Ask them what they are ready to give up before donating anything. Letting them choose what to give is empowering and makes them more independent, reinforcing the idea that giving back is good.

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Start Early

You probably want to wait until they’re at least out of toddlerhood, but starting as early as possible can be a great way to instill generosity in your growing child. Since it is difficult for a very young child to help out at something like a charity event, you’ll want to keep these activities in your home. Have them choose old clothes and toys they no longer like or want, and then arrange for a charitable pickup so that you don’t even have to leave home.

Make It A Game

Nothing gets a kid excited like a fun game. By turning your regular donation gathering into a game, you add a layer of interactivity to the process. You can make it a competition between everyone in your family to see who adds the most things into the donation pile. Try to have a good incentive to participate, but make sure your child knows that the real benefit is that you are helping other people.

Now that you have a few ways to encourage your child to give back, you can rest easy knowing that they will be able to turn your generosity to them back onto the world at large. The world needs givers now more than ever; the more we can help along that path, the better.

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