I recently received a comment on my blog from a reader about teaching (my) kids compassion. And I decided to write a whole blog post about compassion and how it so easily can be passed onto your own children and other family members for that matter.
It really is a simple concept when it boils right down to it.
Are you listening?
Are you ready?
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Practice it. Practice it often, not necessarily just around the holidays.
If your children or other family members see you are compassionate for others and their needs, they will eventually get it and practice it as well. Get your children involved in what you decide to do to give back.
It doesn't have to be a big production. You don't have to house all the homeless or feed the city. Start out small.
It could be as simple as taking a tag off the giving tree during the Christmas holiday and buying a needy child a small gift.
It could be getting an extra bag of groceries and donating it to your local food pantry.
It could be taking some baked goods to a local retirement center for the elderly to snack on.
It could be inviting a lonely neighbor over for dinner.
It could be volunteering at your local soup kitchen on a holiday or on a regular basis.
IT could be whatever you want. However you want to give back to others. But I implore you, if you have the means to or the time, do it.
Nobody ever says I wish I could do "less".
If you choose to give your hard earned money to a charity, make sure to check them out with your local Better Business Bureau or Charity Navigator.
How do you teach your children compassion?
You rock! I love this post.
ReplyDeleteYes! So true!! Great post. Visiting from TALU today.
ReplyDeleteLove the advice and reminder. I am working on a donation bag of toys and it makes me smile when my kids start talking about other kids that don't have much money getting these toys to play with. Yes, it all starts with parents because kids are like sponges, learning it all from us.
ReplyDeleteTALU-ho! I think the hardest lessons to keep reinforcing are the small everyday ones especially in the tween and early teen years when the social pecking order rears its ugly head. So many small ways people can be hurtful without being totally conscious. Compassion and warm-hearted humor...I can always use an extra helping. Thank you for that.
ReplyDeleteHi Jenn, I created a facebook event and reduced the price of my book The Christopher Chronicles. So far 26 books have been donated to go to deployed military. My church sends out cookie boxes. Christopher's eyes lit up when I told him what we were doing. The night I deliver the books conflicts with his basketball practice but the next day they will still be packing them up to mail the next day so I plan to take him to that. It will be exciting once he sees the volume of goodies going overseas. I enjoyed your post. ~TALU
ReplyDeleteThank you for the post! I have just started trying to do more with my girls because I really want them to care for other people. Thanks for the ideas. Visiting from TALU!
ReplyDeleteI don't have any kids, but I do think it's a good idea when they're young to maybe do something like set up play dates with other kids who are different in various ways - either ethnically, physically, different religion, etc. so they can understand that we are all the "same" in our differences. I think a lot of bullying and that sort of thing comes form kids who are never exposed to anyone "different." I think it makes them more open in all aspects of their lives later on.
ReplyDeleteThanks ffor this blog post
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