There is no better time to talk about charity, sharing and giving then Christmastime and these concepts, though easy for most of us to grasp can be challenging to understand for kids with RAD and other attachment disorders. Participation in charity work is not a fix for a lack of empathy, but if the child is young enough and introduced to charity work and the people that work in these field, there is a good chance that he or she will mirror the behaviors of giving, sharing and caring about those around them, and eventually those feelings will become real.
For any child, participation in charity work is a benifit and helps build character and a sense of community. Check out the article below for ideas on where your kids can participate.
NOTE: You should volunteer along with your Kids with behavior issues.
When we started giving my 5-year-old daughter an allowance a few months
back, we gave her three choices. She could take her five $1 bills and
either put them into her piggy bank to save, a special jar to give away,
or in her little princess purse to spend.
She mulled over those first five bills for quite a while. Then (making me both proud and a more than a little sheepish) she put $2 in the save can, $2 in her bank, and a dollar in her purse. She's continued dividing her allowance this way every week since.
Now granted, she doesn't need much spending money. But still, giving 40% of your income to charity? I think that deserves a pat on the back.
She's saved up enough money that we're now looking into ways to share it with others, and I thought I'd share what we've found with you.
For any child, participation in charity work is a benifit and helps build character and a sense of community. Check out the article below for ideas on where your kids can participate.
NOTE: You should volunteer along with your Kids with behavior issues.
Kid-Friendly Charities to Encourage Your Children to Give
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She mulled over those first five bills for quite a while. Then (making me both proud and a more than a little sheepish) she put $2 in the save can, $2 in her bank, and a dollar in her purse. She's continued dividing her allowance this way every week since.
Now granted, she doesn't need much spending money. But still, giving 40% of your income to charity? I think that deserves a pat on the back.
She's saved up enough money that we're now looking into ways to share it with others, and I thought I'd share what we've found with you.
- An obvious choice for kids, giving to Toys for Tots means they get to linger in the toy aisle and feel good about giving. We told our daughter that we'd match her donation, so she was able to donate a toy at Christmas and still have money left for giving in January.
- As a mom of daughters, this one's a personal favorite of mine. According to The Girl Effect, a woman will invest 90% of her income back into her family. They work to invest in girls of developing countries so that those girls will in turn invest in their communities.
- Not only is donating to Kiva a great way to support small business owners in developing countries, it's also an early lesson in economics. Kids (and their parents) can lend money to entrepreneurs, then watch as business succeed and their loans are paid back.
- Are you raising a little athlete? Hoops for Hope reaches out to children in Zimbabwe and South Africa through sports, encouraging them to work toward leadership and change.
- Take your kids over to Kids Caring 4 Kids to meet Kendall, a teen who has raised over $700,000 in the last four years, and let the inspiration roll. Not only does Kendall raise money for kids in Africa affected by AIDS, but she's also trying to build her own "army of activists" by encouraging other kids to get involved.
