(A bag of teacher gifts to be given for the first day of school. This summer, back in the States, I raided all the Back-To-School Sales.)
My love language is gifts. I love getting gifts. In Gary Chapman’s book The 5 Love Languages, he explains, that people receive love in a certain language and give love in a certain language. The other “languages” are time, service, words, and touch. But I am definitely a gift person. The thing is, I enjoy receiving gifts but I also enjoy giving gifts. And I want my kids to have a spirit of giving too.
But, of course, it’s not so easy with kids. They are naturally selfish and don’t enjoy sharing things, let alone giving things. But, however, it can be a continual process of learning for them if you keep these things in mind.
(Serving the homeless by making sandwich lunches to hand out.)
- At a young age, let your kids go with you when you donate slightly used clothes or toys to charities or nonprofits.
- At Christmas, if they don’t get allowance, give them $3 to spend at the Dollar Store to give a gift to 3 people. (You can tell them like the Wise Men did, if you want.)
- When they do get allowance or birthday money, make sure they start with basic money management skills of Save, Spend, & Give. Help them divide their money in jars or on paper to give them a system.
- Sometimes when they want an extra treat like ice-cream or candy, let them use their own money, but then also, have them buy one for their sibling or friend as well.
- Do random acts of kindness when you’re with them like buy a coffee for the person behind you or pay for someone’s meal.
- Give food to the homeless on the street or take food with them to new moms.
- Let them help in making and delivering gifts to teachers at the end of the school year, or even at the beginning of the school year.
- Invite people over for dinner often. Kids learn hospitality and serving others through having people over at the house as they set the table, offer drinks, or share toys.
- Volunteer with charities that let kids help by making sandwiches for the poor or thank you cards for city workers.
- With each action above, talk and discuss about why it’s important and good to have a giving heart.
How do you instill a giving heart in your kids?