Teaching Children To Give {Tommy Nelson Giveaway!}
Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve been surrounded by givers. My grandparents had the most generous hearts you could imagine and that legacy was passed down to my parents. Since I grew up as a P.K. {preacher’s kid}, we had giving opportunities thrown at us all the time. People must think that money grows on trees at the minister’s house, but when your Dad is a church planter…it doesn’t, believe me.
Yet, lack of funds never hindered my parents from giving and teaching us how to give. I have the fondest memories of providing transportation to church for those who needed it. We baked cookies and candy for our neighbors each year. I learned to buy my Memaw’s groceries for her as an early teen. We took needy families grocery shopping multiple times. We opened our home to children whose parents were getting divorced. I watched my parents counsel, encourage and pray with needy souls.
I remember Christmases when we didn’t have the money to buy gifts. Yet, Mom and Dad kept praying, kept giving and kept investing themselves in our family and in many other people. God always provided. A check would come in the mail from a faraway land or even nearby…every. single. time. Even now, I’m overcome {with tears} and amazed at how God provided for us.
Why do I tell you all this? Because, God always gives us more than we can ever give or invest in someone else. We can’t outgive God.
All those years, whether Mom and Dad knew it or not, I was watching. My siblings were watching. Our lives were being shaped. Our souls were being formed into giving souls. That’s a legacy that I don’t take for granted.
This year, Ridley is almost two years old. Yes, he’s young and may not “get it”, but I want to pass on to him this precious legacy of generosity and giving. This year we plan to adopt a Salvation Army angel and bake cookies for our neighbors and friends. We are including Ridley in our 30-day giving adventure.
It’s never too early to start being an example. It’s never too early to instill a legacy of giving.
Like Jesus said in Matthew 25:40, “…inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to Me…”
***
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 featured that encourages families to go online and give their own birthday gifts to the King through notable charities like BloodWater Mission and World Vision.
We will be donating our copy of The King’s Christmas List to a local charity. You can preview the book and then be sure to enter to win a copy for your family to keep or share. Tommy Nelson has also generously offered a $40 donation to the winning family’s charity of choice from the book’s website.
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):
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This giveaway will end on Friday (11/5) at 9 PM EST. The winner will be drawn at random, and notified via email.
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.
The other bloggers leading the 30-Day Giving Challenge are also giving away a copy of The King’s Christmas Gift:
Awesome! Planning to list the same giveaway this week as well! 😉 Love all these great sponsors, as well as the chance to teach young and old to GIVE!
Mandy´s last blog post ..30 Day Giving Challenge- It Begins!
How awesome!! Doing the 30 Day Give has really centered my child’s focus on giving, which I think is going to be the most amazing part of this month. She’s always watched us give, but now is in on the planning of how to give and is loving it.
Kathy @ House of Hills´s last blog post ..30 Day Give – Day 2
I just stumbled upon your site and I’m so excited! I’ve been looking for ways to teach my 5yr old what giving really means.
Such an inspiration. Thanks love! 🙂
My daughter is 20 month old and I am still brainstorming on ways to help her learn to give. My dad was a preacher too, and he taught us to give everyday, he said he gave everyday because he does not know where his kids are going to end up and wind up needing help. I am his first born and I think its why he named me “Blessing” and my middle name “Bukola” even means “to bless others”.
Hi! I just found your blog from the 30 Day Giving Challenge. Thanks for sharing how you are teaching your child to give. We sponsor a child in Haiti through Nehemiah Vision Ministries and just last week we were able to send another plastic shoe box filled with goodies to her with our local mission team that is now there ministering! I will remember your quote today, “You can’t out-give God!”
RachelT´s last blog post ..30 Day Giving Challenge – Day 1
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I’m also following your blog now! 🙂
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It is so hard to teach children to share or give to others in need because they are usually in the “It’s Mine” stage. I am very fortunate to have daughters who are so giving and sharing and I think it is because they know that Jesus Shares. I have taken my girls to the fire department to visit and have taken them cookies and donated clothes and toys to other children.
I taught my daughters about giving by each week taking an elderly friend to the grocery store and to the beauty shop….and also helping her around the house. I would also help with lawn work for others. Thank you.
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I do my best to teach by example. People have been wonderful in helping us before and giving to us, that I do my best to show that same love in return. For example, just yesterday a friend was in need. Even with my husband sick, we dropped everything and went right to her and helped her. Due to certain issues, she needed her door locks changed immediately. We went and did that. Her children and her safety are top priority. I don’t want you to think I am bragging by saying this, I was just trying to use that as an example. I love to help people and it be a surprise blessing. I definitely don’t want any glory in return and I am doing my best to teach my kids that. Many blessings to you all!
Joy´s last blog post ..2 Corinthians 1-3-5
I subscribe to My Blessed Life. As much as I just love the 30 day challenge and I am definitely taking part in it. I won’t be blogging about it or posting the blessings I am able to give. I prefer those to be surprises. With the exception of the above example. Have a blessed day!
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Teaching my children to give was the topic of my last blog post! We love to do Shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child this time of year – one of my absolute FAVORITE causes.
http://randerings.blogspot.com/2010/10/gift-of-giving.html
Dawn´s last blog post ..The Gift of Giving
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I loved your line … “we can’t outgive God ” Isn’t that the truth?! I think the best way to teach anyone … kids or adults is to lead by example!
What a wonderful idea. I’d love to share this book. Trying to teachy children giving by giving to operation Christmas child as well as cleaning out their toys and sharing with other kids. My husband and I also donate time to youth church programs.
Every month, my children and I go to the nursing home and play in the rec room with other children while the residents watch and interact with them. I think this teaches them a very valuable lesson about “giving” a smile. We always talk about how happy it makes the residents to see them play. The things you give don’t always have to be things!!
How do you teach your children to give?
Model, model, model!!!! I include my daughter when I make food and deliver to church members. She has helped us with Operation Christmas Child boxes. We have taken her to a homeless shelter to play with the kiddos. She has helped us with community outreach projects. We walk in our city’s festival parade with our church and hand out water & candy together. She has even worked our church booth and helped put temporary tattoos on visiting children. We work very hard to show her the importance of giving and she has a very big heart!
I am following you! Looking forward to getting inspiration from you in my inbox!
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Right now our son is only one so giving is kind of hard but we are working on sharing which in the future will lead to giving.
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My child has 3 containers where he puts the money he earns. The first is give, then save, then spend. On his last payday, he took money from his spend and put it in his give container!
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Our little man is only 7 months. But we intend to have him give gifts to Toys for Tots every year around Christmas time. I also hope to use this time of year to help him clean out his toys and donate the ones he is done with to charity (makes room for the new ones I’m sure he will get). I want to make sure he knows it isn’t just about him receiving gifts. I plan on starting that this year as a tradition, even though he won’t remember it now, it has to begin sometime.
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Awesome giveaway! My daughter’s name is Emma!! 🙂
I teach her how to give through sharing. She is 3 1/2 and I tell her that Jesus loves when we share what we have with other people whether it be her brother, cousin, or someone at playgroup! I have to admit, for 3 1/2 , I think she “gets it”! 🙂
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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.
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We talk to our girls constantly about giving to others, especially those who do not have all that we do. So my older daughter chooses toys of hers that she wants to pass onto other children, joins me when I have served at a transitional home for women, and has listened to me read blog entries from some of the charities we support, especially The Raining Season. We want both of our girls to have such a heart for giving that it comes naturally to them, without second thoughts. This challenge is a great way to help make it more second nature to me and thus, to be a better model to them.
This book sounds very cool and I love the interactive part!! As a youth leader, we really encourage our teens to help others. My church is very service-based and I love that!! It’s on my pastors’ hearts to live out our faith and that’s something we work on instilling in the youth as well.
We teach our children to give in several ways, but I think the one that is making the biggest difference to them is that we use free-cycle. People send out e-mails about what they need, and if we have that item and we aren’t using it, we e-mail them back and they come and get it. It has provided amazing conversations about giving in our family!
Harter´s last blog post ..NaNoWriMo- Day 2
One of our favorite ways to give is to pack several shoebox gifts each November that will be delivered to children in foreign countries through Samaritan’s Purse and Operation Christmas Child. My daughter helps me collect items throughout the year and enjoys helping me pack them.
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.
angel´s last blog post ..Love is Faithful
My old pastor used to say, “You are never more like Jesus, than when you are giving.” I love that!
I teach by doing. We keep food in our car for the homeless so we can hand it out on our way in and out of town.
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I work at a church preschool and in November we are participating in a 20 Ways in 20 Days celebration. It is our church’s 20th birthday and we are trying to get everyone involved (even the preschoolers) in doing things for others and giving. We are also trying to raise $20,000 to give to various charities/missions our church supports.
Here are a couple of ways we are having the kids help to give:
-We are having a blanket and coat drive. We are asking the kiddos to help mom clean out their closet and donate old coats and blankies to a local program that hands these items out.
-The kids are selling handmade napkin rings for Thanksgiving (that we are making at school) to families and the money will be donated toward the goal of $20,000.
-Some of the children are also designing Christmas cards to sell.
-The children will be asking family and neighbors if they can help and do extra chores. Any monies they receive will be donated as well.
We are very excited to celebrate the church’s birthday by giving to everyone else!
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Love this book!
We teach our kids by giving along side of us… as a family. Whether they put the money in our church basket, or pick out one of their own toys for an unfortunate family, or share their best Halloween candy: we do it together.
Darlene´s last blog post ..The cry of an Atheist
I had goosebumps and tears while reading this today! I totally agree, money does not grow on tress for ministers and their families, ha! But God has always, always provided for us! I want to leave a giving legacy for our girls just like your parents did for you all. One thing we have taught Molly and soon to be Lucy, is that you aren’t too important to lend a hand to someone. No matter what position you hold, you still need to be kind and generous!
Kate´s last blog post ..Trick-or-Treat 2010
although we don’t have children yet, i totally agree that being an example to your children is vitally important. we currently sponsor 2 children from other countries, so in the future, i hope this will help to encourage our children to give
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We teach our kids to give by getting them involved WITH us. We do our giving as a family.
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The best way I teach my kids to give is by example. We give clothes to needy families, we sponsor children through Compassion International, and we do Operation Shoe Box every year, amongst other things!
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
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This made me cry. I look back on our childhood and I can see so many ways God provided for us – but yet our lack of much didn’t keep Mom and Dad from giving. Such an amazing testimony! I can definitely see how it’s carried over into my life. Thanks for posting this! Love you!
Kelly´s last blog post ..32 weeks
Hi Myra,
IVe been enjoying reading your blog and loved this post about your childhood. You certainly had wonderful parents.
My youngest grandchild learns giving by sharing baked goods and home made soups with neighbors when they are in need. She loves to give anything but her toys. …she’s two.
It was so nice to meet you at Relevant10. I hope we can meet up again.
BTW Come on over and enter my CSN giveaway!
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Thank you for the chance to win….this book sounds wonderful and I would love to get it for my very own Emma! We try to focus on the giving at Christmas more than anything….Operation Christmas Child, Angel Tree etc. The kids love picking out items for other kids!!!
I liked Tommy Nelson on FB!! Thanks for another chance to win!!
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!!
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DH and I always tried to set an example for our children, but I have to say that the tables have turned, and my 19-yr old daughter is the one who is now teaching me to give. I am learning so much from her open and generous spirit.
I can’t leave out 16-yr old DS, either, as he surprises me regularly with his kind and thoughtful ways towards others.
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I have heard of that book and would love to have a copy!
To teach my children to give, I start by teaching them to be thankful. We are blessed with so much, while others have so little. Out of this attitude and and understanding of God’s Word, we give.
During this time of year, we talk about how Jesus’ birthday is coming up (Christmas) and prepare (and give) birthday presents to Jesus. “When you did it for one of these . . . you did it for me.” They are now 5 and 7 years old, and I think they’re starting to get it!
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We give each month through World Vision, and I make sure my daughter knows about it–in fact, she picked our two kids. We give to Operation Christmas Child and anything else we can.
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I’ve learned to never challenge God with my giving. Last year, I was listening to the radio on the way to work. They were asking for donations to help feed the hungry for Thanksgiving. I said to myself (and God) that “If Paul (a man at our church who works in a local homeless ministry) is on here when I get off of work, I’ll donate”
Not only was I offered by my boss to leave 4 hours early that day, but the instant I turned on the car, I heard the radio announcer say “and now let’s talk to Paul about how this ministry helps….”
I immediately picked up my cell phone, now knowing why a certain number had been running through my head–much more than I usually would have thought to give–and gave that amount.
Oh–and the pledge drive would have already been over at the time I am supposed to get off of work. God really is in control of all.
Never challenge God.
I teach my children to give by helping out our local food bank. Each time we shop I have them pick out a few things to donate…something that they would like to eat if they could. It’s little but it helps!
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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.
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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.
Sounds like a lovely book! We encourage our children to give by encouraging their spontanous ideas of giving to others…baking cookies for a neighbor, donating nice toys from their own rooms, creating “gifts” for others.
As you know, my son has special needs so it is a little bit of a challenge as he tends interpret literally and has a hard time grasping concepts. He is also visual so telling him of the poor children when he does not see them is hard. What I’ve done is to include him in the process. For instance, I ask him: “Do you want to give this (specific item) to (specific person)?” Most of the time, he says yes, which I think speaks of his generous spirit more than my teaching, 😉
I have 2 small boys (Ages 2 & 4) and am working hard at this stage to get them to share. I have tried to model giving by passing along things we have used or outgrown to others who need them.
I teach them by example. When they see the joy we can bring to other people by giving, it’s all the reinforcement they need to keep at it.
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We always do a Christmas gift for a poor child, usually through church, but I think this year we might do Operation Christmas Child instead (or in addition). And hopefully I model giving as well, like when I take dinner to a family that just had a baby.
Eos Mom´s last blog post ..Young Adult Tales 4-Life on the Rez
My boys are still pretty young. So far I’ve been working on helping them to learn to share and give things to each other. 🙂 Our church is also collecting food to give to families for Thanksgiving, so I plan to get my oldest involved with that.
Carrie´s last blog post ..Too Much Fun –
I teach my son to give by showing him that it’s just as fun as it is to receive. We help our churches food and bottle drives and Santa’s Anonymous.
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