The Simple Pen

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30-Day Giving Challenge Giveaway: Kids & Giving

It’s Day 3 of our 30-Day Giving Challenge, and I hope you’re already feeling blessed by the simple act of giving. My own little world has expanded just a bit already!  It’s funny how just knowing that you’re participating in something like this makes you stop and consider your actions throughout the day.

I’ve been taking on this challenge for myself already. Now I’d like to pull Emma into it too. For those of you who are just stopping by for the first time as part of the 30-Day Giving Challenge, Emma is my almost-six-year-old little girl who has a heart of gold. She loves to help around the house, so we just need to steer her in the right direction to open up that giving to the rest of the world.

I posed this question in the 30-Day Giving Challenge Blog Frog community:

Last year I made sure that my five-year-old daughter understood what the red Salvation Army kettles were for. It took a lot of repetition – fortunately they’re everywhere! – but I think she understood it.  Is there something special that you do to explain giving to your kids?

I got some excellent responses. Ashley keeps a bunch of $1 bills on-hand during the Christmas season so that the kids can donate them in the Salvation Army kettles. Mandy started a “Give Before We Get” box for the kids to use for toy donations. Amanda involved her kiddos in buying cat and dog food and taking it to their local animal shelter.

These are diverse ideas, but they all have the same thing in common. They all center on tangible things that kids can understand and do. I would love to hear your ideas too! Stop by the 30-Day Giving Challenge Blog Frog community to share. Maybe we can brainstorm more ideas to help our kids become even more cheerful givers.

Giveaway: The King’s Christmas List & $40 Charitible Donation

We have some incredible sponsors for the 30-Day Giving Challenge. It’s heart-warming to hear from companies whose desire it is to GIVE. Tommy Nelson is a company on a mission to give, and we’re so thankful for their partnership with the 30-Day Giving Challenge!

Tommy Nelson has a new children’s book called The King’s Christmas List which teaches children that the greatest gift of all is the gift of giving through the precious story of a little girl named Emma.  Emma was invited to the King’s birthday party, but on the way she learns about giving to those less fortunate.  She wonders what the King will think of her coming without a gift. After meeting the King, Emma discovers she gave the King exactly what he wanted.

The book ends with an interactive feature that encourages families to go online and give their own birthday gifts to the King through notable charities like Blood:Water Mission and WorldVision.

We will be donating our copy of The King’s Christmas List to a local charity.  You can preview the book here.  You can also enter to win a copy for your family to read and donate. In addition to winning the book, you will also win a $40 donation in your honor to either WorldVision or Blood:Water Mission (your choice).

To Enter:

  • Leave a comment with how you teach your children to give. If you don’t have children, just leave a comment about giving in general.

Extra Entries (Leave a separate comment for each.):

This giveaway will end on Saturday (11/5) at 9 p.m. EST. The winner will be drawn randomly, and notified via email.

The other bloggers leading the 30-Day Giving Challenge are also giving away a copy of The King’s Christmas Gift. Stop by each of their sites for 3 more chances to win!

Disclosure:  I was provided with a copy of The King’s Christmas Gift to review and donate to my local charity.  As always, the opinions in this post are completely my own.

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Comments

  1. I don’t have children … but i have a ton of nieces and nephews and they sure are quick to pick up what you do or say. I think the best way to teach anything is to lead by example!!!

  2. I don’t have children … but i have LOTS of nieces and nephews and they sure are quick to pick up what you do or say. I think the best way to teach anything is to lead by example!!!

  3. I have a 3 year old, as with every year we hope to give to our church’s food pantry and there Angel Tree program. We have already purchased toys at Target. We will let him choose from the tree three children to give presents too. Then we are going to have him help us take them to the food pantry.

  4. Although my daughter only 3 years old, I taught her how to share by giving away all her things that she no longer use.
    It’s NOT easy for a 3 years to understand the concept especially if she really ‘likes’ the thing.
    It had been such a wonderful learning process NOT only for her but for the whole family. Sometimes, we tend to cling on to things that we like ‘very much’ when in fact we don’t even use it anymore.

  6. We teach our children to give through out the year by giving the toys and clothing that they no longer use to others. Whether it be people we know, or donating them to a good will type store. We explain to them that we are no longer using it and it would be much better for someone else to have it than for it to stay in our home untouched.

  7. I teach them what the Bible says. Just yesterday we were going through the Gospel for Asia Christmas catalog, and talking about how rich we are in comparison and how the Lord calls us to share with those who do not have.

  8. Our children prepare shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. We give to missions through our church. We also just look for needs of others and encourage our children to give from what they have. We have been blessed and we need to teach our children to bless others.

  9. I take the kids with me to make donations to the local girls and boys club. My daughter also started a book club and donates all her old books to the school library.

  13. I instill the act of giving in my children by example. I always try to give cheerfully and with an open heart. I also teach them that money isn’t the only way you can give. We pick up garbage on our walks/outings. We bake extra meals for a sick neighbor or family at church. We volunteer our time at local charities as often as possible. Even a conversation can be a gift for someone who is lonely.

    I subscribed to your blog and like Tommy Nelson on Facebook. Thanks for being a part of the 30 days of giving!

  14. Our kids have volunteered at our church’s food pantry since they were walking. In fact, my 6 year old son’s 3rd birthday party was a food pantry party where he collected over 50 cans of food!

  15. We’ve been teaching my 4 yr old that we don’t just throw out the clothes she outgrows, but we save them to pass on to someone who can use the same. The same with her toys, games and books. Our project during the 30 day giving challenge is to give these to the Salvation Army store

  17. I teach my boys how to give by the best way I know how; example!! We are currently running a food donation drive thru our athletic organization to benefit a local food bank and we regularly assist in pancake breakfasts/fish dinners at our church. This Sunday we are helping to run a pancake breakfast fundraiser for our athletic organization. It is of the utmost importance to teach them these very basic; yet lifelong attributes at the earliest age possible. I want them to grow up to be responsible, caring individuals who recognize that people are not always given the same advantages as others may receive in life and that it is their duty to God and this country to help in any way they see fit!!

  19. Christmas has always been the best teaching time for us. The Salvation Army bell ringers stand out most. Even when I have given at several locations – my kids would be horrified if we passed one up. No matter how much or little I always gave them something to put in the pot.

  22. My daughter is only 1 but starting next year I plan to have her go through all her toys at least twice a year to identify items that she can donate to needy children.

  26. We encourage our kids spontanous ideas for giving to others! If they have an idea, we try to go for it if possible — like donating, baking cookies, and making cards for others. We try to teach that money is part of giving, but so is giving of our time and love and effort!