During the season when most kids are eagerly looking forward to receiving gifts from friends and family, many parents are finding ways to also teach their kids about the importance of giving to others.
This spirit of giving can look different for different families, with some able to give of their resources and others being able to give of their time.
One organization that immediately comes to mind during the holidays when one thinks of "giving" is the Salvation Army. The organization’s red collection kettles, a symbol of generosity, can be found outside of businesses in 56 locations in Northwest Arkansas.
Captain Stacey Connelly, area commander of the Salvation Army of NWA, says many people don’t realize that families are able to serve together as kettle bell ringers. The organization offers special locations and times where children can stand alongside their parents and ring the bell calling for donations.
“Families really like to make it a tradition,” Stacey says. “They can pick their location and time and serve in the same place every year.”
This year, families can also challenge other families to a friendly competition of online giving, using new QR codes to make donating easy.
Another opportunity the Salvation Army offers to families who want to serve together is the chance to serve a meal to those in need at the Bentonville Shelter. The Salvation Army serves meals 365 days a year at both its Bentonville and Fayetteville shelters, with families able to sign up for a time to volunteer together by calling the local Salvation Army office.
Young children can also start learning about giving by helping their parents shop for a Salvation Army Tree Angel. The Salvation Army Angel Tree program helps provide Christmas gifts for hundreds of thousands of children each year.
“Children usually choose a kid the same age as them to shop for,” Stacey says. “I have had 3-year-olds come in with a bag full of toys they shopped for. It’s precious.”
Giving at Any Age
Rogers teacher and Bella Vista resident Caity Church is one of the many parents who believe teaching giving at a young age is important. She and her 17-year-old daughter, Maysie, have rung the bells for the red kettles and served meals together with the Salvation Army. She says that spirit of giving began when Maysie was just 7 years old and asked friends to bring donations for the Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter instead of birthday presents—a tradition she kept up until she stopped having big parties.
The two have also spent hours together volunteering for local nonprofit theater groups.
Caity, a 20-year veteran teacher, says she also emphasizes the importance of giving back with her middle-school students.
“The biggest lesson I try to teach my students, and most persistently to my daughter, is to be a good human,” Caity says. “Character is everything, and kindness is free. Serving others and your community helps to build the world you want to be a part of.”
Parents of older children and teenagers can look for mutual hobbies and interests to build their giving around, such as volunteering together at local animal shelters, nonprofit fundraising events, or serving at local food pantries and nonprofit thrift stores. High school students in public schools have a required number of volunteer hours for graduation and many can volunteer with local organizations without a parent after the age of 16.
But for parents with young children, finding an opportunity to serve together can be more challenging. While some organizations, like the Salvation Army, provide opportunities for whole-family service, parents of young kids may also have to use some creativity in coming up with how to teach the concept of giving.
Lexie and Patrick Edmunds of Rogers have three kids, ages 1, 5, and 8. Last year they were able to serve a holiday meal together at Trinity Fellowship Church in Fayetteville, but they also have been teaching their kids about donating to others by sorting through clothes and toys together that can be given to the Children’s Shelter or local thrift stores like Helping Hands or the Samaritan House Thrift Store.
Some other creative ways younger kids can learn about giving to others is to help mom and dad sort food and hygiene products that can be donated to area Little Free Pantries or organizations like the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank. Families can also work together to put together care packages for those recovering from illness, the unhoused population, or military members.
Artistic children can help make fun cards for veterans and senior citizens. And taking children to personally hand out the cards always brings a smile to the recipients’ faces.
Younger and older children alike can be taught how to save money that can be donated to a good cause. Families can create a “giving jar” and encourage children to contribute part of their allowance or help plan fundraising ideas.
Overall, experts agree that the way children learn best about compassion and giving is through seeing the example in their parents, whether that be through them giving of their resources, time, or talents.
Several websites exist that help share more ideas for families, such as justserve.org.
Character is everything, and kindness is free.