Raising kids to be generosity giants: Five tips to cultivate kindness and empathy for a lifetime of giving

With Halloween and “falling back” in our rearview mirror, many of us are on to the hustle and bustle of the holiday season! In addition to good food, road trips, and quality time with family, November and December are filled with generosity and are—by far—the two most generous months of the year as people celebrate the season of giving.

In Minnesota, the giving season kicks off in earnest with Give to the Max Day, this year on November 16, and extends all the way through the end of the calendar year on December 31. And while the hustle and bustle of these two months can be overwhelming at times, it also provides the perfect opportunity to pause and talk with the kids in our lives about what it means to be generous, helping instill values that can last a lifetime!

Beyond the actual impact of our financial gifts or volunteering, taking time to talk with young people about generosity and giving can help start conversations about empathy, kindness, and personal values at large. There are limitless ways to start these conversations, but here are my five tips for slowing down and experiencing the season of generosity together.

1. Talk about the importance of giving and sharing: Generosity comes in many forms, from volunteering time or talents to making financial donations and more! Talk with your kids about the different ways they can show generosity, and share some examples of how you and your family are generous, and why. Tell them about some of the causes that are important to you. Then, ask them to think of some of the things most important to them and ask them to share why. You can reinforce their generous spirits, talk about some of the types of causes that do work in their areas of interest, and you might learn something new about them, too! 
   
   
2. Generosity show-and-tell: Kids learn by example, so show them your commitment to generosity! Volunteer or donate to causes important to you, and ask your kids to join! Find kid-friendly volunteer opportunities in your community or at their school. Have them join you to drop off donations at your local food shelf, or let them drop some cash in a collection bucket at the grocery store. Be sure to talk about the sorts of impact the organizations you support have in your community and why you share your time and resources with them. And be sure to recognize and reinforce when you see your kids acting generously in their daily lives! 
   
   
3. Celebrate with giving: Whether it’s a milestone, an addition to the family, or a success, recognizing a celebration with a donation is a great way to observe while paying it forward to a cause close to their heart. 
   
   
4. Give your kids the gift of giving: Swap one toy this holiday season or their next birthday with a Giving Card! GiveMN Giving Cards are electronic gift cards with which the recipient can donate to any of the 10,000+ nonprofits and schools on GiveMN.org.  Help them translate what they care about most to causes making a difference in that area, help them with the donation process, and talk with them about the impact this generosity will have in their community.
   
   
5. Participate in a giving event as a family:  In our house, Give to the Max Day (GTMD) has become a family affair. We set a generosity budget and work together to spread it amongst our chosen causes. We think of it as a shopping spree for good! Even a small budget can make a big difference, as any GTMD donation of $5 or more qualifies organizations for prize grants of up to $10,000! After you donate, follow along together to see if your causes met their goals or won prizes, and make sure they know that their gift is part of the big total counting up on the homepage! While Minnesota’s GTMD has been a pioneer in the giving event space (founded in 2009), many other states, regions, and categories of nonprofits now host their own. 

• Bonus - Host a fundraiser: If there is a cause about which your family is extra passionate, consider setting up an online fundraiser on GiveMN. Fundraisers are an easy, fun way to rally your friends, family, and community around a cause. You can create a custom fundraiser page with just a few clicks, tell a story, set a goal, and raise money for any nonprofit or school on GiveMN.

By integrating conversations about and traditions of generosity in our kids’ lives, we’re nurturing a brighter, more compassionate future for all! 

Make a gift to your favorite causes today!

Steph Anderson is a senior marketing and communications associate at GiveMN, and a mom to three generous kids.