Giving back does not have to be time-consuming or stressful.

It should be the complete opposite. 

Of course, you want your children to be grateful for what they have and understand the importance of giving back. 

Not sure where to begin? 

These six tips can help you get started. 

Donate Toys and Clothes:

Toys and clothes have a lot in common. 

It’s so easy to end up with more clothes and toys than we need.

And, let’s be honest, so many of us buy certain clothes and toys just because our friends’ kids have them. 

Here’s the deal. When we have so many items, we can often forget what we have. 

I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I’ve found clothes in the back of my son’s closet, barely used, that he has grown out of. 

They grow so fast don’t they.  I digress, let’s get back into the real story. 

Every time your little one receives a new toy or piece of clothing, encourage them to donate an old toy or clothing they have outgrown. They may have a hard time parting with their toys at first, but the more they do it, the easier it will become. 

Once they’ve found a few items they’d like to donate, the two of you can drop them off together. 

Volunteer:

Donating toys, clothes or money isn’t the only way your little one can make a difference.

So many non-profits need volunteers. 

Even a few hours a month can go a long way. 

Due to COVID-19 volunteering at events is not an option. 

However, there are so many ways your child can volunteer their time while social distancing.

They can pick up trash around the block, prepare care packages for the homeless, or make cards for people in need. 

Giving Back as a Family:

We know at the beginning of this article, we talked about your child donating some of their toys.

They don’t have to stop there. Now that most of us are spending the vast majority of our days at home, we have so much more time to do things around the house.

Chances are your home is full of perfectly good items you don’t use often. 

One weekend the entire family can go through your home and pull out items to donate.

You can have a contest to see who finds the most items, play fun music in the background, or just chit chat.

As long as you’re having fun as a family, that’s all that matters.

Shop Together:

I get it. When you have little kids going shopping with them is not always easy.

You have to manage tired little legs and hangry melt-downs.  

You also have to make sure you get everything – or almost everything on the list. 

Well, this year most shopping will be done online to help keep everyone safe, but that doesn’t mean that shopping with the kids out.  

Set aside some special time to browse websites and pick out gifts.  It’s a great time to talk about spending online and using credit cards vs. cash in the store.

And having kids pick out gifts themselves can help them appreciate the gift of giving in a new way.

Make Gifts:

Not all gifts have to be bought at the store. Some of the best gifts are homemade and come from the heart. 

When it comes to making gifts, there are no rules. Your child can be as creative as they want. They can draw pictures, make pottery or sew scarves. 

Always Write Thank You Notes:

Technology makes it so easy to thank others for gifts.

Sending a thank you text takes less than a minute and still gets the point across.

However, getting a thank you text is nowhere near as special as getting a thank you card in the mail. 

Every time your child gets a gift, whether it be for a birthday or holiday, they should always write a thank you card. If your child is little, you can help them write it. But if they are older, they should do it themselves and express gratitude.  

“Remember that the happiest people are not those getting more, but those giving more.” – H. Jackson Brown Jr.