Teaching your Children to Give Back to Society
1. Lead by Example
Children are sponges and they are very receptive to their environments. The best way to teach them is leading by example. Charity is a learned behavior. There are multiple ways to do this. One option is to start a family fund through the Foundation. This is a great way to engage your children and future generations in the giving experience. It provides the opportunity to make it an ongoing habit, so your children make it routine too.
2. Teach through Volunteering
There are other ways to give back than just providing money. Rolling up your sleeves sometimes can be just as valuable. Boy Scouts and Girls Scouts promote the “three T’s” (time, talent, and treasure). Younger generations typically have more of the first two, so do not forget to teach the value of offering time and talent.
You can help a child figure out where to spend their time by running through the below questions:
• What are the community needs?
• Which of those needs feels compelling to you?
• How do you think you can help make an impact?
3. Help them Understand the Need
A personal human connection to someone makes a person’s needs feel more real. It spurs the desire to want to help versus avoid. It makes us feel good when we can be part of the solution. Studies have shown that we are born to be self-serving and that it takes personal relationships to create our willingness to expand beyond ourselves. It is another way to teach empathy, as empathy causes us to act.
4. Show them the Impact
If you want to build on lasting generosity, you have to show them that their act of kindness made a difference. It is no different from what keeps a donor giving to the same organization every year. Showing the impact is crucial for donor retention and this is no different.
It is never too early or late to start engaging your children in giving back. Donating money and lending a helping hand have the potential to transform communities for the long haul. Cultivating future generations is what the Foundation believes in and we are here to help you create that family tradition.
