How to teach your children generosity

The best way to teach your children generosity is to be generous yourself. Showing your kids with your actions will teach them your values far better than you preaching to them.

So. Next time you're walking down the street with your children, give to the homeless person who is asking. But then talk with your child about why we give and why it's important.


 * Kevin writes "We talked to our kids about paying for a well to be dug in Africa. We had some extra money and we included the kids in the conversation about giving it. We got a report back afterwards and they could read and see pictures of the well and the village people. It was an important and joyful process for us all. We have also 'twinned our toilet' with the project www.toilettwinning.org. There is a plaque in our toilet of the loo we financed in Bangladesh. It's a constant reminder."

And one thing my kids have loved and I've loved doing with them is letting them choose what to give to. There are a couple great online websites; www.warmblankets.org and www.samaritanspurse.org come to my mind first. What they have is an online catalog that you can chose from to give. Read the options to your child and let them choose where they want the donation to go. They will remember it and it will impact them much more if they play a role in giving.

When giving an allowance (pocket money) to your kids to teach them how to handle money, split off 10% straight away for generosity. They can build up a fund and then give when they see a need. There comes a point when your kids will start asking to give to causes they consider important!

My kids all remember times when they've given and my hope is that they will want to continue to give and be generous as adults.

Anonymous YWAMer

Check out this article that will help you teach your children to read.

Or if you need help teaching your child basic math read this article.