How to raise generous kids in three effective steps

Sharing toys is one of the first social rules we teach our kids. At a playground or a classroom, you’ll often hear parents or teachers calling out, “Share with your friend!”

In those moments throughout early childhood and beyond when we’re asking our kids to share, we’re really asking them to be generous.

It can feel like an uphill battle to teach your child to give freely, but don’t worry, parents! There are many things you can do to plant seeds of generosity in your kids, no matter their age.

 

1. Build empathy. Empathy is a learned skill that asks us to understand and share the feelings of others. It is a skill that can also be taught at any age – from early childhood through late adulthood.

 

You can increase your child’s empathy by frequently asking them to put themselves in others’ shoes. Ask them, “How do you think your friend felt when you took that toy from them?” or “How would you feel if your friends didn’t invite you to hang out?”

 

By developing empathy, our kids can be motivated to bring out good feelings in others in a healthy way ­– such as sharing with friends or donating to an important cause.

 

2. Modeling. Do your children see generosity in action? Witnessing generosity firsthand can be incredibly powerful for kids – especially if they observe it between their parents, or as mom or dad interact with their peers. Modeling generosity with time and resources is a key tool in nurturing generosity within our kids.

 

On the flip side, showing gratitude to others when they do something generous is also important to model. How do you thank someone when they do something kind?

 

When children see the outcome of generosity firsthand, they can begin to employ generosity more deeply in their relationships.

 

3. Partnering. While it’s important for our children to see generosity in action, it’s even more powerful when we invite them to join us! Have your child help you cook a meal to share with a friend in need or schedule a family volunteer day at a local nonprofit organization that might pique your kid’s interest.

 

Show your child that generosity is not just an important value to you, personally, but important to the family as a whole.

When we instill generosity in our children from a young age, we are preparing them to be good stewards as adults. If they learn as a child how to give freely and joyfully, they’ll be more likely to share their resources to worthy causes in the future.

Fostering generosity is one of the many jobs we have as parents, and watching the fruit of it in our kids’ lives is one of parenting’s greatest joys.