You’re a parent and giving is an important value to you. But how do you teach your kids to give and protect their privacy in an online world?
As an adult it is likely that giving is a large part of your company culture. For certain, you lead by example. For example, many WordPress development shops and agencies, like us, give at meetups and WordCamps. We volunteer, sponsor, organize, and speak.
As adults, we have a firm grasp on service and online giving. So many times, these days, crowdfunding and helping is done online — either with a GoFundMe page or an online donation form on your WordPress site with Give. ;)
So when you give online, how do you lead by example? And how can you develop a heart of generosity in your kids? The challenge in this modern age is to teach your kids to give in a world where the majority of causes raise funds online. We could even be so bold as to posit the question: is online giving an inhibitor to teaching your kids to serve?
Online Giving and Privacy Concerns
Online giving with children can be a bit tricky, depending upon their age. Most social networks and email providers require compliance with COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule).
Their site sums up COPPA as the following:
“COPPA imposes certain requirements on operators of websites or online services directed to children under 13 years of age, and on operators of other websites or online services that have actual knowledge that they are collecting personal information online from a child under 13 years of age.”
PayPal, for example, is a great way to both give and receive funds. A parent may set up a PayPal account for their child by filling out this form.
But you don’t have to set up a bank account or PayPal account for your child to give. The next time you decide to give online, why not make it a discussion? Sit down at the family computer and show them why you’re donating and how it will affect the cause.
Giving by Example
This is exactly what Meg Delagrange from Wanna Pixel, Inc. and her daughter did. They are involved in giving by sponsoring a girl from a foreign country. Her daughter chose the recipient and they also regularly correspond. Leading by example and presenting opportunities to your children is one way to live this out.
@YouTooCanBeGuru @GiveWP awesome topic, btw. We sponsor a girl in another country. She picked the girl, we write letters
— Meg Delagrange (@megdelagrange) August 10, 2016
Not only that, but kids are often involved in their school fundraisers. Many times the method of donation or payment for these fundraisers is online. Instead of, you parent, doing it for them by bringing the holiday wrapping paper to work, you can show your child how to ask friends and neighbors online.
Case in point, Jen Miller’s son found a way to raise donations online, too. His school held a general funds fundraiser offering prizes if kids reached out to their family and friends. Knowing he could do so online inspired her son, Epic, in a way that had never happened before. He collected up emails, crafted a letter, added his picture and emailed his family and friends all by himself. The next morning he was shocked to see he had already earned $360, enough to qualify for the limo lunch and day of inflatable adventure. “It felt awesome,” Epic vividly remembered.
Giving Through Service
Online giving is convenient; however, it’s by no means the only way to give. Serving the population you’re giving to creates a more lasting way to teach a lifestyle of generosity. There are so many wonderful organizations that teach this. The Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts are the more famous of these organizations.
But there are also faith-based organizations who encourage volunteerism and service. Some friends of mine went on a trip to New Orleans after 2007 to help with the aftermath of Katrina. They went with their three children and their hearts were changed forever during that trip.
Fred Swegles of The Orange County Register reported:
“The Perezes were so moved by the experience that they raised $70,000 in four months and returned to New Orleans that summer, taking the lead in working with the same faith-based nonprofit, Kids Around the World, on a second playground. In 2008, the Perezes built a third Kids Around the World playground, then a fourth in 2009.”
They went for several years, even while adopting children. This family not only did the fundraising for the playground, built at a school each summer, but they traveled to the location and built it — together.
It inspired me all of these years later to reach out to her on this subject. She told me about how her children’s faith stretched and tested her own.
“As my three little kids in tow at the time would say, ‘Why is that man standing there with a sign?’ They have the eyes of a child to see what I was too busy to see. When I explained that the man is homeless, you could feel them wrestling and I would be convicted. ‘What should we do?’ I would ask?” Help him!” they would say. Eventually I’d turn around even when it wasn’t convenient, we’d get some food and I’d go with them to give the food away in Jesus’ name. We usually cried in the car and talked about that person’s life and sometimes we’d remember to pray for them by name. Even when it didn’t seem like we did enough or we could even make a difference this verse would remind me it’s okay.” Debbie Perez
Teaching your children to be aware of the needs of people around them starts them on the path of sympathy. When they engage with their emotions, they learn empathy. When empathy drives them to action, they’ve learned compassion. This is the true gift that never fails us because that kind of compassion and empathy teaches us gratitude.
Giving of Self
Giving can be more than funds or service. Sometimes donations of things in the form of a gift box does wonders for the recipient. While asking for input from the community, I was directed to Val Vesa, Brand Evangelist at Sucuri Security. He started ShoeBox Romania, a holiday-focused charity, because of his son.
“I started the ShoeBox project in my family in 2007, trying to teach our boy to share his toys and clothes with other poor children from the building.” Val Vesa
He said they started it, “when our son Luca was at the time almost 4 years old and my wife and I considered he should learn to give.”
“Kids have a sort of natural egoism in them, that permanently makes them want stuff for themselves, and when parents keep providing the things they ask for, without teaching them that they should also give to others, that path is a very dangerous one for their forming mentalities.” Val Vesa
The care packages that kept coming their way in Romania in 1989 after the Revolution inspired Val.
“I’ve come to think that if I don’t give to the person next to me, I will become poor with pockets full of money and bitter with a pantry full of apples.” Val Vesa
Another clever way to donate is a campaign by the well-known nonprofit charity:water. Charity:water wanted to increase giving for their well projects over the lifetime of a donor. So, they started what they call the Birthday Campaign where you can donate your birthday — $1 for each year you’ve been alive. If you are six years old, you ask your friends and family to donate $6 each. If you are 35, they donate $35.
On their website, charity:water explains the process. After you pledge, they’ll send you reminders. What a brilliant and easy way for your child to experience giving on their own behalf.
“When your birthday is near, we’ll remind you to start a fundraising page and ask your friends to donate to clean water for your big day.” charity:water
Giving is Part of Everyday Life
Just like in many company cultures today, giving is part of the every day. The more natural it is for you — the more natural it is for your children.
“By talking about to whom and how you give, you not only show your kids the importance of giving itself, but you’re sharing your values about the issues that matter most to your family—whether you’re passionate about supporting the arts, cleaning up the environment, assisting the elderly, or helping to alleviate poverty and homelessness.” Diane Harris, Parenting.com
How are you teaching your kids to give?
Tell us in the comments.
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