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Raising kids who give back is a big priority for me as a parent! My kids are still quite young (6, 4, 3, and newborn), so the options are limited, but here are a few ways I try to get them thinking about leaving the world a better place than they found it:
- Teach by example. Donate to charities, volunteer at your child’s school, drop food off at your local food bank. Be kind to others.
- Get them involved. My kids are getting better at going through their belongings and picking out items they want to donate rather than feeling like every item I suggest is the most important item ever. They have an easy time going through clothing now; we have a lot of work to do with toys still!
- Choose accessible projects. This was the whole point of putting together a craft ebook for the Small Hands Creating Hope fundraiser. Giving back can be as simple as making something for someone who is having a rough time – or walking around your neighborhood picking up trash.
- Encourage them to reach out. I am trying to teach my children to always be kind and to always treat others with respect.
- Write thank you notes. Gratitude is the first step to giving back.
- Where possible, support inspirational dreams. Like this documentary looking at using community creative arts programs to support a peaceful post conflict community. I’m not affiliated with this project in any way, but I studied this same topic for my doctoral dissertation, so I’m excited to see a documentary on the same topic in a different part of the world.
Here are a few causes I’m exploring with my kids this month:
- Go Orange for No Kid Hungry runs September 6-9. Did you know that one in five children in the United states struggle with hunger? Learn more about it here.
- September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month, and there are several ways kids can make a difference. This photo essay can introduce you to a few pediatric cancer patients.We are also opening the Small Hands Creating Hope fundraiser back up for the month of September. Go to this link to get all the details!
- Help BGCA provide school supplies to kids in need through Bloggers Filling Backpacks.
There are even more opportunities to help if you look at global organizations. Do you have a favorite global charity? Giving back – locally or globally – is a great way to increase global awareness, since it helps children and parents look beyond their immediate needs.
I feel like Emma (6 years old) is getting to an age where she can be involved more with giving back, so I would love to hear how you are working on this with your children! Melitsa wrote a wonderful post on making service and giving easier for the under 5s at Play Activities.
Learning Laboratory is a space to share fun, creative, hands-on learning for all ages! Here are my favorite links from the last link-up (August 6th, the day before Anna was born!):
- Visiting a butterfly house from Creative Themes for learning and play
- I Went on a Safari free printable from waddlee-ah-chaa
- DIY Kids Grocery Game for Happy Shopping Trips from B-Inspired Mama.com
- Elephant Watering Can from Teach Beside Me
- Chocolate Banana Bites from School Time Snippets
- Surviving a Long Train Trip from Taming the Goblin
I’m going to change things up a little to accommodate life with four very young kids – I will be visiting all of the posts and commenting on many, but instead of commenting on all the posts, I’ll be pinning as many posts as I can to my Pinterest boards. This is easier for me to do with a small baby, and hopefully it will bring you more traffic as well! This also means that, by participating in this linky, you are giving me permission to pin your posts to my boards. I will still feature favorite posts each week. Feel free to email mamasmilesblog at gmail dot com with any concerns about the change, or other feedback.
This post was written as part of a cross-blog conversation I’m ran with Melitsa of Play Activities about ways parents can encourage global thinking and understanding. Here is my post about using maps to encourage global thinking, Melitsa’s post about using maps, my post about global games, Melitsa’s post about global games, and Melitsa’s post about charitable opportunities.
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Hooray for giving back!
Great post!
Visit sherri … Cartoon Pictures of My Kiddos!
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I think this is a lesson we are all struggling with teaching our kids. You are right, it does start with parents and us setting that example of giving. Little eyes are always watching.
Visit Vicky @ Mess For Less … Open Ended Play Dough Fun
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Welcome back! I think you are doing a great job with all you do for your kids!
Visit Cassie … Fingerprint Apples
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Thanks for your post. I know we’ve struggled to find ways to get our kids involved in service projects. You’re right though to start these attitudes at home with simple actions like writing thank you notes.
Visit Amy … Be a Better Parent Outside
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This is a very thoughtful post. As a family we give to Save The Children organization and to Red Cross. We also take part in various community food and clothes drives, but they usually happen around the holidays. Our school has very strong community focus, and this is where I would like to be more involved this year – perhaps both of us contribute to various activities and projects going on in school.
Visit Natalie … Week in Review–September 2, 2012
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I was just talking with a couple other bloggers about starting some outreach and getting our kids involved, great post. Didn’t know about no kid hungry this month!
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maryanne Reply:
September 3rd, 2012 at 5:42 pm
There are a bunch of bloggers working together for No Kid Hungry – let me know if you’d like more info!
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Isra Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 9:31 am
Yes! Would love some more info, thanks!
Visit Isra … Five Ingredient Slow Cooker Roast Chicken
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What lovely ideas for encouraging children to give back! One of the ways I do this with Sunnyboy is through doing voluntary work together. :)
Visit sunnymama … More summer in our garden
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maryanne Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 8:46 pm
I love the way you and Sunnyboy volunteer at a charity shop together!
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Kindness and gratitude go a long way, and I love to help my kids learn this among family members at home and in simple volunteer activities. They are also very clear about how it helps others to give away things we no longer need or use.
Visit Elisa | blissfulE … Nikki and the cycle ramp
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maryanne Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 9:40 am
It’s evident from your blog that your kids understand kindness and gratitude – it’s one of the things I love about visiting your site!
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We do the 3 (4 actually) cups thing, so part of Rebecca’s allowance goes into her giving jar, which she uses periodically to buy animals through Heifer, because we talked about how giving someone an animal is a gift that will keep feeding them, and that when that animal has babies they have pledged to pay forward the gift to another family, so she is helping lots of people to help themselves, which she likes.
We need to do more hands on things though.
Visit Katherine … Recycled Wrapping Paper Thank You Cards
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I love this post! I’ve pinned it and shared it on FB and via Twitter. :)
Visit Jen Fischer … Ten for Tuesday: Simple Ways to Fight Hunger
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maryanne Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 8:21 pm
Thank you, Jen!
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What an interesting idea to have a cross-blog conversation.
It’s so hard to find good projects for kids to get involved in, especially young kids because most places don’t want little guys there (understandably).
Visit Ticia … Around the World in 12 Dishes: French Polynesia
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maryanne Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 10:12 pm
That’s what I have found most challenging, as well – you definitely have to do your research and get creative!
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Love this! So important, in my opinion, to raise kids to make a difference.
Visit Jen … fire in the lowveld
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maryanne Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 7:21 am
I agree!
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Amen Sister! Above all my mission is to raise compassionate and giving children. My children are very aware of the needs of others. I hope it is okay but I linked up to my post from yesterday that certainly applies to your ideas. We support children in Cambodia and I just returned from my second volunteer trip to Cambodia. I am highlighting an organization that fights the trafficking of children. Together we can make this world a better place for all children! :)
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