Kiddie Academy's 2016 Educational Gift Guide Part I Educational Gift Guide Part I | Page 6

Talking to your
kids about giving
Research shows that children whose parents talk to them about giving back were
20 percent more likely to give to charity than parents who did not discuss giving
with their children at all. Parents who speak with their young children about
giving can positively influence their children's philanthropic behavior later on in
life. Here are some tips for talking to your kids about giving this holiday season:

CONSIDER

AVOID

TALK

AT

THE

OFFER

THE

OTHERS

BLANKET

TABLE

EXPERIENCE

The dinner table is a

Sometimes, seeing

great place to start

is believing. Offer

a discussion about

your child the

giving.

opportunity to

STATEMENTS

Young children have
a tendency to
approach life from a
point of selfishness.
They have a strong
center of self
inherently, but they
also have an innate
sense of
compassion.

Just explaining to
children that we
give "because it's
the right thing to
do" might further
confuse them. Try
framing the act of
giving in context of
how their action will

Try

prompting your child

experience a

with a conversation

charitable act.

starter like, "how

Younger children

can we give to

might be able to

others without

help bag lunches for

spending money?"

a soup kitchen while

directly benefit or
Try talking to them
about how their

help someone who
needs it.

various actions will
affect

older children can
Table-time

rake an elderly

conversations will

neighbor's yard.

lay the foundation
For example, "when

for positive

The whole family

experiences and

can get in the

discussions later on

kitchen together

when you're not at

and make a dish for

home. As

a soup kitchen. Get

opportunities

involved together as

present themselves

a family giving back

in the real world,

in a way you're both

reinforce what

comfortable with

how others might

you've talked about

and passionate

benefit.

at home when the

about.

others. Simplifying
the discussion with a
cause-and-effect
formula, children
can start to learn a
direct correlation
between their
contributions and

you make a dish for
the soup kitchen,
more people are
able to eat dinner
when they maybe
wouldn't have had
anything else to
eat."

time comes.