Often enough holding a kid’s party is meant solely for the kid’s benefit and solely for fun. It would be fantastic to be able to hold a party for your child and at the same time incorporate lessons to be learned into the party without taking out the fun. This is a very meaningful way to educate our children about helping the less fortunate and about charity.
Teach your child that there are many unfortunate and poor people in this world. Some do not even have enough to eat, let alone have a party. The best way to feel for them is to put us in their shoes. A great way to help your child understand charity is to let him or her feel and understand what it means to give to others. Explain that sometimes when we deprive ourselves of something however small and give it to others who need them, the joy it brings is tremendous, not only to the person who receives but to the giver as well.
Children of course look forward to gifts at their own party, but if you think your child can handle what you going to suggest by way of presents, then explain to her what you are going to do. Ask the child if he or she feel comfortable about ‘sharing’ the gift with unfortunate people. It is difficult to suggest to the child to give all the presents away, so the idea is to ‘share’ with others. You would include on the invite your child’s intention to share, so request a gift that costs only half the amount that was initially decided by the parent who is giving the gift but he has to buy a matching gift for charity. Insist that parents only spend the amount of money on the two gifts as they would have spend on one. That way no parent feels compelled to spend more than they feel comfortable with.
When the children have arrived, instead of your child opening his gift, ask him to open the one meant for charity. Then as a host, talk about what each child has brought for charity and asked why they picked that gift. Also discuss whom the gift would benefit most. Then as a group, maybe you can arrange for them to visit the home or center together to donate the gifts. In this way children will learn about places to donate gifts and how the process worked. Later back at the house, you can start the party with cake and ice cream.
Another way to donate to charity would be to ask the kids to bring from home something of their own which they do not play with anymore or something they would like to donate to charity. Or another suggestion would be for them to bring canned foods or used, clean warm clothing that they want to donate to charity. Bring the children to the center or home to donate. No matter how you do it, the emphasis is on teaching children to appreciate their good fortune and the importance to give back to society. Remember to thank the children and praise them on their commendable behavior.
