5 Ways To Teach Your Child To Be Generous

We all want kids that share and are conscious of other's needs. Kind children who have a giving heart. The truth is, kids have a world that very much revolves around their little self and their own needs and need to be taught to remember others.

How do you teach this skill to a child?

In this post, I will share 5 ways you can teach your child to be a generous giver. It is never too late to start these lessons!

1. Model generosity in your own life. Kids of all ages learn from their parents. Have a giving spirit and show your children how to have one in their own lives. Take situations and turn them into lessons.

2. Sign your child up to volunteer with you. It is not only fun to do volunteer work, but kids will see real-life impact. Visit seniors in a nursing home facility, play with the dogs and kitties at the animal shelter and serve meals in a soup kitchen.

3. Help you child be aware of other people's wants and needs. Teach them to wait their turn, share something of theirs and invite others to join them in fun. Don't just say things like, "Don't be selfish!". Turn it around and say, "I bet Michael would love it if you shared your toy."

4. When your child does something kind for another person without being asked, make sure to give them a lot of praise. This kind of positive reinforcement sets them up for that "warm fuzzy feeling" we all love when we do things for others.

5. Help your child understand helping others who do not have what they have. Ask them to go through their toys a couple times a year and give the ones they no long want to a battered women's shelter or children's shelter. When they get an allowance, ask them to pick a charity and donate part of it periodically. Give them a sense of pride in doing so.

What other ways do you show generosity?