Birthday Acts of Kindness: Deerfield Mom Has Kids Perform Kind Acts to Celebrate

Ariel Dorfman wanted to do something a little different to celebrate the birthdays of her two young kids this year. What she came up with was simply brilliant.

About a month ago, the Deerfield mom — of Elana, turning 7, and Jacob, turning 4 — set out a challenge for both kids to do one act of kindness for each year they are celebrating. She provided a list of 15 “Acts of Kindness” to choose from, instilling in their young minds they should always be mindful and helpful of others, even on their own birthdays.

“I did it for my own birthday one year, but haven’t been able to again so I thought it would be a great thing for them to do, because the number (of kind acts) they would have to do for the number of years they are celebrating would obviously be a lot less than mine,” said Dorfman. “With them getting so much attention and gifts every year, I thought it would teach them a great lesson in giving back.”

So for the last few weeks, Elana - who turns 7 on April 6 - has been working on baking cookies and making thank you notes for the fire department, making care kits that include soap, lotion, toothpaste and other items for the homeless, drawing pictures to donate to www.colorasmile.org, bringing a special treat to school for her teacher, leaving a thank you note for the Mailman to go along with a box of Girl Scout cookies and signing up to volunteer for Feed My Starving Children, a non-profit based in Libertyville.

Jacob, who turns 4 on March 29, has been making homemade bird feeders and filling the ones at home with seed, making more care kits for the homeless, bringing in a special treat to his teacher and baking more cookies for the firefighters.

“They seemed excited when I first gave them the idea - but I don’t think they fully knew what I meant,” Dorfman said. “But once they started doing these things, they have been really excited about it.”

The seventh, and arguably the most significant, good deed Elana is up to is donating $5 of her allowance to the American Brain Tumor Association ahead of the BT5K walk to be held on April 26 in Chicago.

“It might not seem like much, but that is a big deal to her since her allowance is only $2 a week,” Dorfman said.

Friends and family were so impressed with the young girl’s initiative that many offered to match her donation. Those matches kept on coming in, and before she knew it, Elana had raised more than $300 for the organization.

“I’m very proud of her,” her mom said. “A very good friend of mine has a brain tumor, so we have done the walk for many years.”

The idea of doing good for others is not lost on many of Elana’s friends at South Park Elementary in Deerfield and their parents as well.

“People are already coming up to me and telling me they want to do the same thing for their child’s birthday,” Dorfman said.

Family friend Jessica Aven says it’s important to make kids realize how fortunate they are, and that not everyone has what they have.

“I feel that volunteering, helping others, etc. is a crucial lesson that can be taught at a very young age,” Aven said. “I am so proud of Elana and Jacob, and their parents for being such good role models. I hope that by spreading the word of the Dorfman Family’s kindness, others will choose to do the same with their kids.”

Photos submitted by Ariel Dorfman of her kids in the midst of performing the Birthday Acts of Kindness.

READ MORE ON DEERFIELD PATCH

Chicagloand Jewish High School Wins 1st Place at International Model UN Conference

Library Plans Spelling Bee for Seniors

Holy Cross Board Preps for Merger