Teaching our child that it's just as wonderful to
give as it is to receive is almost never easy. But
once they understand the concept, the rewards can
last a lifetime. As a parent, you probably want to
guide your child to become a healthy and ethical
adult. How can you lead your child to a healthy
future? What kind of activities can you do
together as a family that will steer your child
towards becoming a compassionate adult? Community
service and Volunteerism are your answer. Not only
will you show your child that it is “cool” to care
for others, but it will also be a wonderful way to
get others involved. You can do just that with a
charity birthday party.
Firstly, you must discuss this with your child.
You can't just announce to your child that some or
all of his gifts will be going to charity. Avoid
bribing and coercion, the mission is to get your
child enthusiastic about helping others. I suggest
the following:
1. Know Your Child and How Much He Can Be Expected
to Give - Just because you are enthusiastic to
give all of your child's presents to charity, it
doesn't mean that your child will feel the same
way. Again, don't coerce your child to have a
charitable party. Discuss with your child
different ways that his party can become a means
to give and not only to receive. For example, The
child can keep half of his presents and the other
half go to charity.
2. Know Your Child and His Interests– Each child
has interests that can be converted into a great
giving and charitable experience. If your child is
interested in art, match them up with an art
charity (http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org).
If your child is interested in homelessness, match
your child's party up with a homeless shelter.
Once your child is matched with the right charity,
your child will have a rewarding charity birthday
that he will always remember.
3. The Actual Events of The Party Can Be For a
Charitable Purpose – Instead of giving away your
child's presents, you can consider holding a
charitable project as the entertainment. For
example, Charity Making and Stuffing a Teddy Bear
Project
(http://artistshelpingchildren.org/donateteddybears.html)
and donate all of the teddy bears to a local
pediatric hospital, orphanage, or shelter.
4. Have Every Child Bring a Used Toy or Item to
Give to Charity – Instead of having every child
bring a new item to be donated to charity, have
everyone bring in a used toy, or other item. These
items can then be donated to a non-profit
organization. For children who aren't excited
about having a charity party, you can have
everyone bring in a small gift for the birthday
child in addition to a used item.
5. Remember to Still Make the Event Special for
The Birthday Child – Don't take all gifts away
from your child. You must allow your child to
still receive gifts from you, family members, and
other close people in his life.
6. Meaningful Conversation First – If our child is
having a difficult time figuring out what charity
he wants to give to, it might be a good idea to
watch the news together and see what sparks your
child's interest. Sometimes seeing less fortunate
people and suffrage can spark a child into wanting
to give. Also, bring up social issues and discuss
them with your child.
7. What Do My Parents Do? – Children learn by
example. If your child sees you as a giving
individual, they will be more likely to want to
give of themselves as well. How can you expect
your child to give up things that are important to
them without giving items yourself. Consider doing
something giving at your birthday every year as
well.
Can Having a Charitable Birthday Party Really Be
Good For My Child?
You bet it can! It has been proven by researchers
that a child’s self-esteem is boosted when taking
on altruistic responsibilities. When children help
others, they will begin to understand that they
have the strength to make a real difference in
their world…and this is a great feeling. Another
enormous benefit of a charitable birthday party is
that a child will gain a deeper understanding of
the needs and wants of others. Researchers have
also noticed that children who volunteer or give
charitably might gain increased academic skills,
including critical thinking and problem solving
skills.
Rachel Goldstein runs Artists Helping Children - A
non-profit charity dedicated to bringing comfort
to children in hospitals, clinics, and shelters by
brightening their environment with murals,
artwork, toys, and art supplies.
article written by Rachel Goldstein
