by Rebecca Mayglothling

Created on: November 20, 2009

My five year old came home from school and said to me, "Mommy, guess how Haley sings her ABC's? She says, M-N-M-N-P! Isn't that funny?" I stopped her in her tracks and took this opportunity to teach her a life lesson. "Do we pick on Haley for not knowing the song?" I prompted. My daughter needed to think this over, but eventually we agreed to not pick on our friends because they don't know what we know. Eventually, we will work on the concept of learning from one another, but kindness and philanthropy can have their foundations now. Simple conversations are a great way to start. Setting examples and exhibiting these values yourself are another way to teach children "just how it's done".

Twice a year, my children help me sort out their over crowded rooms. We look at clothes, toys, books and games. Every year, we have the same conversation. We look around, and we talk about what we have. We have a discussion about people who have even less than us, and my kids can hardly believe it's true! We comment on how thankful we are to have things to play with, clothes to wear, and books to read. Then we begin our sorting! When we started doing this project together, the kids were very reluctant to give away their things. Now, my seven year old son is willing to give his toys to the children who have less. He even checks to make sure they are in working condition! If anything is broken, he wants to throw it away so "some little kid doesn't have to play with a broken toy". (Those are his words!) My five year old daughter is still wrapping her mind around the concept, and she holds onto more than her brother, but she is beginning to understand philanthropy is a kind concept. After our haul-out, the kids go with me to the Salvation Army and help me drag the bags of donations out of the car. They assist in the process from start to finish to see the full scope of the philanthropist activity.

We also donate food every Thanksgiving to a food pantry. While food pantries could use food year round, our local radio station makes a game out of donating food at Thanksgiving and we participate every year. Every year, the radio stations sets up a camper outside the local Wal-Mart and radio DJ's stay in the camper to collect food. Every year, my children get to go into Wal-Mart, pick food for the camper, then donate it to the DJ's themselves. The activity is a lesson in kindness because while we are in the store, we talk to each other about people who cannot buy food for themselves, so they need our help. Even one cheap jar of gravy or one inexpensive box of potatoes will add to someone's Thanksgiving dinner.

There are also small ways to teach children kindness. Tell the drive-thru attendant thank you. Smile at the gas station attendant. Say please more often, and think before you act. Would you like someone to come up to you and say, "I need you to do something for me" or would you rather hear, "Can you please help me over here for a minute?" Think about how you would want to be treated, and treat others that way, because when your children are grown, they will treat you the way they witnessed you treating others.

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