As a parent, you probably know that the birthday party routine
can be an almost painful experience. With about 20 children in
your child's class, going to more than one birthday party in one
weekend can occur quite often. If you have more than one child,
birthday-party weekends can take over your entire life. Finding
the right gift takes hours, wrapping the present and preparing
the card is more time. When it is your child's turn for a
birthday party, do you really want to put other parents through
the same routine? Will your child really appreciate 20 birthday
gifts on top of what you and your family have already given him?
Does your child really need more toys?
Teaching our child that it's just as wonderful to give as it is
to receive is almost never easy. But once they understand the
concept, the rewards can last a lifetime. As a parent, you
probably want to guide your child to become a healthy and
ethical adult. How can you lead your child to a healthy future?
What kind of activities can you do together as a family that
will steer your child towards becoming a compassionate adult?
Community service and Volunteerism are your answer. Not only
will you show your child that it is “cool” to care for others,
but it will also be a wonderful way to get others involved. You
can do just that with a charity birthday party.
Firstly, you must discuss this with your child. You can't just
announce to your child that some or all of his gifts will be
going to charity. Avoid bribing and coercion, the mission is to
get your child enthusiastic about helping others. I suggest the
following:
1. Know Your Child and How Much He Can Be Expected to Give -
Just because you are enthusiastic to give all of your child's
presents to charity, it doesn't mean that your child will feel
the same way. Again, don't coerce your child to have a
charitable party. Discuss with your child different ways that
his party can become a means to give and not only to receive.
For example, The child can keep half of his presents and the
other half go to charity.
2. Know Your Child and His Interests– Each child has interests
that can be converted into a great giving and charitable
experience. If your child is interested in art, match them up
with an art charity (http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org). If
your child is interested in homelessness, match your child's
party up with a homeless shelter. Once your child is matched
with the right charity, your child will have a rewarding charity
birthday that he will always remember.
3. The Actual Events of The Party Can Be For a Charitable
Purpose – Instead of giving away your child's presents, you can
consider holding a charitable project as the entertainment. For
example, Charity Making and Stuffing a Teddy Bear Project
(http://artistshelpingchildren.org/donateteddybears.html) and
donate all of the teddy bears to a local pediatric hospital,
orphanage, or shelter.
4. Have Every Child Bring a Used Toy or Item to Give to Charity
– Instead of having every child bring a new item to be donated
to charity, have everyone bring in a used toy, or other item.
These items can then be donated to a non-profit organization.
For children who aren't excited about having a charity party,
you can have everyone bring in a small gift for the birthday
child in addition to a used item.
5. Remember to Still Make the Event Special for The Birthday
Child – Don't take all gifts away from your child. You must
allow your child to still receive gifts from you, family
members, and other close people in his life.
6. Meaningful Conversation First – If our child is having a
difficult time figuring out what charity he wants to give to, it
might be a good idea to watch the news together and see what
sparks your child's interest. Sometimes seeing less fortunate
people and suffrage can spark a child into wanting to give.
Also, bring up social issues and discuss them with your child.
7. What Do My Parents Do? – Children learn by example. If your
child sees you as a giving individual, they will be more likely
to want to give of themselves as well. How can you expect your
child to give up things that are important to them without
giving items yourself. Consider doing something giving at your
birthday every year as well.
Can Having a Charitable Birthday Party Really Be Good For My
Child?
You bet it can! It has been proven by researchers that a child’s
self-esteem is boosted when taking on altruistic
responsibilities. When children help others, they will begin to
understand that they have the strength to make a real difference
in their world…and this is a great feeling. Another enormous
benefit of a charitable birthday party is that a child will gain
a deeper understanding of the needs and wants of others.
Researchers have also noticed that children who volunteer or
give charitably might gain increased academic skills, including
critical thinking and problem solving skills.
I run Artists Helping Children –
http://www.ArtistsHelpingChildren.org - A non-profit charity
dedicated to bringing comfort to children in hospitals, clinics,
and shelters by brightening their environment with murals,
artwork, toys, and art supplies.
Rachel Goldstein is Founder of Artists Helping Children –
http://www.ArtistsHelpingChildren.org - A non-profit charity
dedicated to bringing comfort to children in hospitals, clinics,
and shelters by brightening their environment with murals,
artwork, toys, and art supplies.
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