It is an important lesson that children need to learn, to give.
Many adults would be good to learn this lesson as well.
The younger a child is when they learn this, the easier it will be to incorporate it into their entire lives.
Some easy ways to get them started: Toys Most kids have way more toys then they will ever play with, and they certainly will not miss a few.
Get them to pick out toys that they want to give to a child who doesn't have any.
Make sure they know that these children do not have what they have.
It is important that they pick out the toys themselves (of course they may need a little encouragement as to what ones they never play with any more!).
School There are programs out there for children who will not be able to get school supplies they need.
Basically you buy a backpack and fill it with school supplies for a certain age group.
The bigger stores in our community all have lists of what the students will need, from elementary to high school.
My niece and nephew have done this for a few years with my mother.
Every August they go shopping with Grama and pick out what they want to fill the backpacks with, all the while knowing that it is not for them.
Christmas Similar to the backpack program, at Christmas there is a shoebox program.
These shoeboxes go to Africa and again have a recommendation as to what should be in them.
Brushes, toothbrushes, pencils, crayons and coloring books, or pens and journals (depending on the age of the child that you pick to fill the box for).
My Mom also makes little cloth bags that we put in as well.
We manage to get enough to have to put an elastic around the box in order for it to close.
Again, my niece and nephew are aware that the children receiving these boxes do not live like they do and do not have what they have.
Birthdays My sister has started having 'toonie' parties for her children instead of them receiving a bunch of toys that they really don't need.
Oh yeah, I am Canadian, we have two dollar coins that we call 'tooneis'.
This money is then put into their bank accounts unless they have had their eye on a certain toy they want.
Of course you can always donate this money to a charity as well, which is becoming more popular.
Family still gets them presents which is always more than enough.
This way it is easier for the parents of the children attending too.
These are only a few things that are out there for children to become aware that not everyone is as well off as them.
That is what is important, getting them to realize that everyone needs to help those who are less fortunate than themselves.
Live simply that others might simply live.
~Elizabeth Ann Seton Marla