In the midst of this Christmas season, when most people think about buying gifts to lay under the tree, I thought it would be a perfect time to talk about ways to teach our children to help others in need. Isn’t this something we are all still learning day to day???

Who to help? When to help? Should I help? What if I don’t feel like it?

These are all questions many of us ask ourselves even as adults, so finding answers is key so that we can teach our children to help others. Especially when we’re able to help those in need and to understand why we should. I’ve been taking some time to wrestle these questions and I would encourage you do the same. I’ve come up with some simple steps to help guide us parents to teach our children to help others. 

Simple Steps to Teaching your Children to Help Others: 

1. Talk to your children about why your family should help others (come up with your own ideas, relate to how Jesus always helped others, refer to these verses) 
2. Search charities and organizations and make a decision about volunteering
3. Volunteer (click here to get a list of ideas) with your child/ren
4. Try out a couple different options and find one that most interests your child and keep volunteering
5. Teach about donating, whether it’s toys they no longer play with, clothes, a percentage of their chore money, earning money for charities or other. This emphasizes giving to others.
6. Practice what you preach. We can’t just expect our children to want to help others if we aren’t, so make time in your schedule to help others. When you do, tell your kids about it, how it made you feel and again, discuss why.  

“Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” 1 John 3:18

Here are some ideas: 

Operation Shoe Box

Operation shoe box delivers boxes with toys to children in need around the globe, but the box is just the first step in transforming their life, because the get to learn about Jesus.  This just finished up but make sure to do this next year! 

Here are my older 2 helping getting boxes ready couple years ago, they colored the first page and wrote a sweet note. 

Holiday Meals

Bring some food, either prepared or just all the ingredients to someone in need. If you do not personally know of anyone who is truly in need try your church or other local churches in your area. They most likely have a collection going on or a family you could bring a meal to, 

Sing Christmas Carols at a Nursing Home

With your family, or a group of friends set up a time a local nursing home… they will NOT turn you down when you make the call. This is a wonderful way to teach kids about serving the elderly. And most of the elderly in nursing homes or assisted living do not have family around. 

We just had the wonderful opportunity to do this. The kids absolutey loved it and so did all of the older folks.  

Military Care Boxes

Show gratitude for the men and women serving with a care box with some simple things they use everyday. Some ideas are: soap, lotion, coffee, homemade cookies, peanut butter, etc. Have your children write out a card, pack the box and mail it out. 

Donate used coats, toys, etc.

Find a local charity or organization in need and donate! 

Support a Child

You can do this by choosing an Angel Tree at the mall or at a Walmart, or even some other organizations and get a child a gift. Another way to do this is to financially support a child, and interact with them via writing letters though Food for the Hungry or Compassion International. 

We recently signed up to help Khobucha a child with Food for the Hungry. My kids earned money by making and selling lotion bars to support him this month and we all look forward to connecting with him. Not only does this help (my) kids learn about earning money to help others, we get to write him, which is great for how we “do school. 

“In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35

Help your neighbors, family or friends in need

At different points in all of our lives we’ve been in need, whether it was financially, emotionally, or even plain ole tired. I have been on the receiving end of someone helping me several times, most recently was when our baby was born, wonderful friends brought us meals- a really wonderful gift. 

There are countless ways to help people close to you. Rake some leaves, go help clean some bathrooms. Babysit some kids so a couple can go on a date. Go help build a house with Habitat for Humanity with your kids. 

There are Tons and tons of other ideas! 

What are your ideas for teaching children to help others?

The post Teaching your Children to Help Others appeared first on Day2Day Joys.

Related posts:

Blessing Others Through The Fruit Of The Spirit Making Christmas Last All Year Keeping Christ in Christmas, but Not Leaving Him in the Manger

Written by KT @ One Organic Mama, Contributing Writer

I love Christmas.

I love the spirit, season, the holiday, the decorations, the food, and being with my family.  I wish Christmas lasted ALL year and here is how I extend it as long as possible

Here are my 3 tips for extending our Christmas spirit and love throughout the entire year.

1. Gather the gifts

Despite my best efforts to cut down on the gifting of Christmas, my kids get tons of gifts.  They have a lot of people who care about them, and they show that at Christmas time with the gifts they give.  Once the initial excitement is over, I gather up the gifts and store them in a big box.

A little at a time, throughout the year, when we can appreciate how very special each gift is, we take one gift out at a time.  When we’re buried in snow in February – how about a new board game?  When it’s raining non-stop in April – what about some new legos?  It really helps us to value the kindness of our friends and family to space things out like this.  The rule is when we take one new gift out, we choose one item from the house to donate to those who need it.  Find a local respite center, non-profit, or family in need.  My area has an online fb group (a big one of about 1000 moms in the area) – if you put out there that you have some gently used toys that you would like to give to a family that needs them – a family that needs them will get them.

2. Give the gift of yourself

This year I have learned a lot about the creation and struggles of small non-profit organizations.  Research.  Look in your communities, towns, and churches.  Someone you know is involved in a small non-profit.  One that is based in your community and run on small donations, volunteers, and lots of love.  Reach out to them.  Offer yourself, your time, your service, and your support throughout the year.

Big organizations are wonderful, but much of their money goes to advertising, marketing, and salaries.  Many times smaller non-profits have NONE of those costs, put every single donation toward their mission, and are struggling to continue.  This means they could use your help.  You could offer to file, type, make phone calls, or just your time to do what they need.

3. Keep the nativity

Yup.  We leave it up all year.  I love it, it is beautiful and why not?  Not only do we remember what Christmas is REALLY about, but we are reminded all year round, what our lives, our hearts, and our families, should be centered around.

What do you do to keep the wonderful feeling of Christmas alive all year?

The post Making Christmas Last All Year appeared first on Day2Day Joys.

Related posts:

Teaching your Children to Help Others Blessing Others Through The Fruit Of The Spirit Year in Review at day2day joys