April 6, 2006 | Read Time: 1 minute
Raising Charitable Children
by Carol Weisman
Parents must teach their children at a young age to appreciate giving to charity and volunteering, writes Carol Weisman, president of Board Builders, a consulting company in St. Louis.
In her guide to the best ways to instill the philanthropic spirit, Ms. Weisman says she started an annual tradition, when her sons were 4 and 6, of having each boy designate a charity that would receive a small contribution in his name on his birthday. Because the boys also received traditional gifts, the donations, she says, instilled in them a sense of how giving to charity doesn’t have to mean giving something up. She adds that they also learned responsibility in choosing their beneficiaries based on activities they loved, such as going to the science museum or playing with clay at an art center.
If families feel more comfortable giving time rather than money, Ms. Weisman writes, it’s important for parents to choose the activities that make the most sense, since many young people may be inclined to ask inappropriate questions of the people they help. She warns that people in need deserve their privacy too, and parents should point out that volunteerism can be rewarding even if children don’t get to see its results up close.
Ms. Weisman emphasizes that even children as young as 3 can be taught about philanthropy, and early experiences can help shape how they approach charitable giving and service in their adult lives.
“Small is not a bad way to help,” she offers. “Not every child is supposed to raise a million dollars or head up his or her own nonprofit board of directors.”
Publisher: F.E. Robbins & Sons Press, 48 Granada Way, St. Louis, Mo. 63124; (888) 500-1777; fax (314) 991-0202; http://www.raisingcharitablechildren.com; 120 pages; $14.95; ISBN 0-9767972-0-8.
