Engaging Family in Giving

“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” – Mark Twain

One of the most important values you can pass on to your children, grandchildren and others is the significance of giving.  This further magnifies the impact that your life can have as your influence continues into future generations. 

There are many ways this could be done and the means of doing so would depend upon the ages and maturity of the persons involved.  It would also depend upon the overall family dynamics. 

For instance, for young children it might involve them allocating their allowance into three jars: spending, saving and giving.  This way they understand and appreciate giving from a very early age. 

For the entire family it could be a designated family volunteer day in which everyone pitches in to help a local charity. 

After sharing your core values, you could have teenagers help in researching various organizations and report on their findings. 

Older children could be involved in developing a family mission statement, deciding which giving vehicle to use, researching and recommending charities, and reporting on the effectiveness of past recipients.  These functions could be established on an annual or semi-annual basis in conjunction with the holidays.

Explore other ways to help your family experience the impact and joy that results from charitable acts.