DID YOU KNOW..?
Three billion people live on less than $2 per day while 1.3 billion get by on less than $1 per day. Seventy percent of those living on less than $1 per day are women.
Three billion people live on less than $2 per day while 1.3 billion get by on less than $1 per day. Seventy percent of those living on less than $1 per day are women.
Look around your child's room, I bet it's filled with at least two of these things: a television, a gaming system, an Ipod or MP3 player, a computer, Ipad, or a cellphone. Was I right?
I'm not implying it's bad to give these things to your children, what I am asking is: Do your children know how to give back to others who are less fortunate and do they realize how blessed they are?
5 simple ways you can cultivate an attitude of selflessness in your children:
- Learning to Give is an excellent site that provides parents, students, teachers, schools, faith based groups and others easy and creative ways to give back. This site offers lesson plans, a project of the month with downloadable materials, and real stories of kids who give back. For teachers: Schools can become a Generation School-check it out!
- Plan a family mission outing once a month to a local shelter and serve dinner like my friend Jackie, a Mom on a Mission. If you are local (Asheville ) you can contact Jackie to help serve at our local women's shelter.
- Look through your child's books and magazines and donate gently used ones to your child's school or to a local shelter. I know from experience that school budgets have been slashed and teachers need all the help they can get. If you have a local used book store like ours (Mr. K's) take your gently used books there and trade them for store credit and give it as a thank you gift to your child's teacher. Teachers would love to be able to choose books for their classroom.
- A colleague teaches her son how to give every time they go grocery shopping. Before they check out, her son chooses one canned food item to donate to a local food bank. As they unload groceries, they place the canned food item into their "donation box" and when the box is full, they drop it off at a food bank.
- Donate gently used items to Goodwill. Every month, I filter through our closets and place items in a "donation box". When the box is full, I take it to a Goodwill drop off center or to the store itself. I love Goodwill because I know my donations are used to get people back to work. If you want to see how your donation of that 'old' to you coat helps others-try the calculate your impact feature on Goodwill's site The Donate Movement.
Happy Giving!
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