Giving and Thankfulness

Giving comes out of a place of being thankful, you can’t give unless you’re thankful for what you already have. People often think of giving as being material things or money but giving is such an inclusive thing. First and foremost it has to come from the heart. It’s imperative to be teaching our children and families how to give and be thankful which can often start in our
homes.

Some children are born more generous than others, that just comes down to what is in their DNA, but everyone needs to be taught and encouraged to give. That can start with very small things like teaching children how to share their toys.

Giving also comes down to attitude, how to be giving with your kindness. A Winston Churchill quote says “We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.” Giving not only blesses the people receiving, but also those who are being generous. Giving helps build children’s influence, confidence and their resilience. When we give we actually receive so much more than what we have given.

I always say children catch much more than what they’re taught. When they see you being generous and the benefits you receive from being generous, that encourages them to be giving and it becomes a lot more natural for them. I remember as a young parent teaching my children to say please and thank you and thinking when will they ever remember to say it themselves. And I just want to assure you that my children eventually did and yours will too.

I wanted to share my overall encouragement to give to parents who are wanting to create a culture for generosity and an environment of giving. So here it is.

It starts from that place of thankfulness. As a parent start to think about what am I thankful for and then begin to ask your children what they are thankful for. When you are in this position of thankfulness it then allows you to be generous with what you have. It doesn’t have to be big stuff or cost you a lot of money. Giving might come as time, opening up your home or cooking someone a meal but at the end of the day it all has the same effect.

Blessings,
Susanna