I told my husband how touched I was how so many people I've never met are making donations through my Facebook page. My son went up to his bedroom and carried his piggy bank to me, saying, "I want to donate, too, Mommy!" All he had was $2.49. I doubled it for a $5 donation.
Then I went to my room and cried. I was so touched.
Greg and I have tried to teach Luke and Emma the value of giving. Whenever we buy them a new toy, we make Luke and Emma pick one they don't use anymore to give to charity. We explain that it is nice to give things to other children whose parents don't have much money. While, honestly, it would be a lot quicker and easier to pick a toy when Luke and Emma aren't involved, we want to let our children decide for themselves what to give and instill the importance to giving to others.
According to Susan Crites Price, author of The Giving Family: Raising Our Children to Help Others , it's important to start teaching your children to give when they are young. "Habit gets instilled at an early age, and young kids can do a lot," Price said.
Preschoolers, for example, can go with the family to volunteer at a soup kitchen, or help pick up litter around the neighborhood. "That doesn't mean that for teenagers it's too late, but the earlier they start giving, the more it becomes a habit." She recommends making giving the rule, rather than the exception. Lead by example. When you write a donation or volunteer for a project, explain why you are doing it. Find volunteer projects nearby, even something as local as shoveling snow in an elderly neighbor's driveway.
When I emerged from my room after Luke's donation, he asked why I was crying. I told him I was crying tears of joy since he was such a nice boy.
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Happy parenting and thanks to all who donated in Gary's memory. Read more Parenting Perspective blogs by visiting the Parenting Channel on 6abc.com.
