Good parents invest themselves in their children’s lives. They often think about who their daughter or son will become and do everything in their power to foster their good character. Generosity is one characteristic that’s at the top of parents’ wish list for their children. If you’re wondering what it looks like to raise generous kids, here are a few tips on how to teach your kids about generosity.
Model Generosity
It’s important to model the behavior you want your kids to assume. Being generous to others will introduce generosity to them. If you pay for someone’s groceries with your kid in tow, that memory will stick with them. Better yet, show generosity to your kids directly. The way you treat them will make the biggest impact on your child. The ways you are generous with your kindness forgiveness as they inevitably make mistakes will grow their generosity immensely.
Praise their Giving
Most behavior repeats if it’s rewarded in some way. Use this knowledge to build up your child’s generosity—keep an eye out for moments of generosity and make a big deal out of these. Surprise them with your positive reaction and they’ll soon learn to act generously.
Donate Together
Practically, one way you can teach your kids about generosity is by donating as a family. Allow them as much input as possible on the charity or organization you’ll serve so they understand that this is a shared project in which they play a part. Make sure you vet charities by asking certain clarifying questions and then dive into giving your time or resources together. Doing this as a family is a natural encouragement for generous behavior because kids crave their parents’ approval and involvement.
Make Donation Tangible
Try to choose something tangible instead of donating money, at least when children are young. Their minds don’t understand abstract things such as giving money quite like they understand walking dogs at a nearby kennel. The impact of walking those dogs is clear to them because the dogs enjoy being outside; however, they don’t see the direct impact their money has when given to a charity. Build up to this and other kinds of giving to grow their generosity in the future.