How to Teach Kids About the Importance of Giving Back

This week, the Mom’s Council discusses ways to teach children about giving back. How do you instill a sense of compassion or generosity in your children? Let us know your opinion in the comments too. 

Q: What can we do to teach our children about the importance of giving back?

Answer from Jessica Stowe: Teaching our children the importance of giving back is one of the most important values we can instill in our children. As adults, we can start by leading by example and take part in a charity or organization that we are passionate about. Then, find a cause that is of importance to your child. If they are passionate about animals, do some research together and find organizations that share their same passion. You can start with donating dog food or volunteering at the Humane Society.

For younger children, they can start by doing something as simple as drawing a picture for the troops, purchasing a holiday gift for a child in need or donating their old clothing. To reiterate the importance of what they are doing, find books on similar topics and discuss the impact that he/she is making.

If you make giving back a part of your family traditions, your kids are bound to incorporate this into their lives going forward. Above all, it is so important to teach them that what they are doing is really a making a difference!

Answer from Allison Mitchell: As with so many other things in parenting, I think it's important to talk with my kids regularly about giving back, doing kind things for others, helping people who need help.  These topics come up in the most varied of circumstances - donating to a food pantry, passing along outgrown toys/clothes, volunteering time for different organizations, making a project for the fundraising auction at their preschool - and my hope is that by learning about helping others, and seeing their parents help others in different ways, my girls will understand the importance of being part of a community.

Answer from Alisa Stendardo: This is an excellent question and something that I thought about a lot when I was pregnant and wondering what kind of person my son would turn out to be. At 1 it's kind of hard to instill the idea of charity just yet but nonetheless there is groundwork to be laid. At the moment we are working on sharing and giving toys to other people (mommy, daddy, friends) as I feel this is an essential first step toward good citizenship. I look forward to reading answers from folks with older kids and what they are doing to teach their kids the importance of giving back. 

Alisa Stendardo is a full-time working mom living in Somerville and is the founder of the workingmomsomerville Yahoo Group, which meets on the first Thursday of every month at Diesel at 8 p.m. Her son just turned one.

Alison Mitchell is mom to Katherine, 4 1/2 and Sophie, 2 1/2, and moderator of theSomervilleMoms Yahoo Group

Jessica Stowe has an extensive background in childcare and is the founder of Personally Paired, which connects parents with sitters and nannies. 

Kate van Sleet: I’m a paralegal for public television, but my primary job title is "Mom" to my 17-month-old daughter.  I chose to join the council because though I have lived in Somerville for nearly ten years, I am new to the world of parenting and would love to connect with other parents in the neighborhood.  My family loves Somerville and is always looking for ways to participate in the community.  I also serve on the Board of Trustees of the Somerville Public Library. 

Lucas Friedlaender: I’m  a father of three (a 5-year-old, a 4-year-old and a 15-month old) and I co-own Twinkle Star Baby Boutique in Porter Square with my wife Kerri Friedlaender, so I’m around kids and the children’s world all day everyday. My wife and I are pretty involved in parenting circles in Somerville.