PROJECT GOOD HEART
Teaching Your Kids the True Spirit of Christmas and Chanukah
Somehow, not only Christmas, but all year through,
The joy that you give to others is the joy that comes back to you.
And the more you spend in blessing the poor and lonely and sad,
The more of the heart's possessing returns to you glad.
John Greenleaf Whittier
*******
And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three;
but the greatest of these is charity.
I CORINTHIANS 13:13
********
The joy that you give to others is the joy that comes back to you.
And the more you spend in blessing the poor and lonely and sad,
The more of the heart's possessing returns to you glad.
John Greenleaf Whittier
*******
And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three;
but the greatest of these is charity.
I CORINTHIANS 13:13
********
This holiday season the average American consumer plans to spend $791.10* (that's about $200 billion dollars nationally). And your kids are, of course, excited to be the beneficiaries of this windfall and get a boatload of presents, which is -- let's face it -- pretty much the meaning of Christmas (and Chanukah) for most of them (and us).
I'm no Grinch, but what if each of us were to donate to charity a mere 1% of our intended expenditures? That would amount to $2 billion dollars. And what might that teach our kids?
That's why I'd like to encourage you to sign on to our PROJECT GOOD HEART, in which you donate to charity the dollars that you would have spent on one present for each of your kids.
****************************************
Here's how PROJECT GOOD HEART works:
- Explain to your kids (over the age of 5-6 years or so) that instead of one present you would have given them, they are to chose a charity to donate what that present would have cost.
- Talk about the reasons for charity and for empathy towards people less fortunate ("Remember when we saw those people on TV who lost their homes?").
- Discuss with them the various kinds of charities and how they help those less advantaged in many ways.**
- Ask them what kind of support they would like to give: for food, shelter, clothing, medicine, toys, books, etc? For victims of disasters or war or for the chronically poor? For families? Kids? Communities? Endangered animals? The environment?
- Encourage putting themselves in another shoes: "If were unlucky and lost a lot of the things we now have or we were victims of a storm or a war, how would you want others to help us?"
- Guide the discussion: "Sure, Billy, buying Twinkies for a lot of kids is a great idea and would make them happy for a short minute, but can you think of other ways to better help the disadvantaged with the cost of your present?"
- But in the end, it's their charity. Let them choose.
- On Christmas or Chanukah, put a card in a nicely wrapped gift box that says, "X dollars donated by Billy to the ABC charity, where it will be used to ___. Thanks, Billy!"
The fragrance always stays in the hand that gives the rose.
Hada Bejar
QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM DR. P
Hada Bejar
QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM DR. P
Logo by my colleague, friend and collaborator on PROJECT GOOD HEART, Jack Maypole, MD -- a fabulous pediatrician and brilliant cartoonist.
************************
* The data comes from the National Retail Federation's 2006 Holiday Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey
** In case you need some info on charities, here are some good web sites to guide your discussion and help make a choice:
Related Topics:
Technorati Tags: project good heart, holiday, christmas, hanukkah, charity, gifts
13 Comments:
What a fabulous idea! I will definitely do it with my daughters---Thanks
Thanks to you Save the Whales is 50 dollars richer and my 5 y.o. son is telling everyone about it!!!
Dr. Parker,
I just wanted to tell you that another wonderful blogger (Mocha Momma who is an educator in an underprivileged area put out a blog challenge a couple of days ago. She chose three kids that she works with in the school and who she viewed as most in need, and challenged her readers to post a comment on the blog in a 24-hour period. For each comment, she set aside $1 to give them a special holiday.
Several people (myself included), matched her final gift. For me and my kids, this was a direct response to your challenge. We always do something like this, but hopefully by setting the bar higher this year and making a little more of a sacrifice for others, it will be a better holiday for everyone.
Maybe you should consider a challenge like that, too. :)
Thanks for leading the charge!
I found another great website for giving that fits right in with your idea -- http://www.changingthepresent.org/
After Hurricaine Katrina, my 8 y.o.'s Catholic school welcomed four children whose school and homes had been destroyed---When I mentioned project good heart, she didn't pause at all----"Let's send the money to New Orleans!!!" The giving was very real to her---she even suggested we do it in exchange for a more expensive toy than I had originally suggested!
Thanks--
After reading about Project Good Heart, I sat down with my three children, (9, 7, and 4) and talked about the idea of "trading-in" a toy in order to help someone less fortunate. We decided to pool the gifts and make one donation (to a local animal shelter) in person. The kids were incredibly excited when we went (dressed in theri Christmas best) and I suspect that this will become an annual tradition! Thanks!
My 11 y.o. daughter chose The Sierra Club because she is concerned about global warming. She had given up a much-wanted Juicy charm bracelet to make the contribution, and was thrilled when she recieved a green rubber bracelet as thanks for her donation----She really got the message about good things happening to those who give! (And has worn that bracelet--even to bed--since--)
After my 9yo son Adam made his toy for charitable donation, I made him a Certificate of Compassion which I gave him on the first night of Chanukah---He has it on his bulliten board, and my husband and I plan to do this every year---thanks so much for the idea!
When we discussed this idea with our 13 yo son, his eyes brightened and he went under the tree and took out a carefully wrapped IPod nano (He already has an IPOD) (We didn't ask how he knew what the wrapped present was--snooping was apparently implicated). He said he would give it to the school janitor
who really loves music and that he would program it for him---"He could really use it, mom." My husband and I were touched and thank you for your wonderful idea!
Help---my son who is 4 cried when I suggested giving up a toy! He's generally a thoughtful kid so I was surprised at his reaction---Is he just too young? Should I wait and try again next year? I don't want giving to charity to be a negative experience for him--Thoughts???
(Actually, it's Dr. P responding)
Don't worry, 4 years is usually too young for most kids to give anything away. They will just experience it as a deprivation and not really get the positive aspects of charity.
That's why I recommend to start Project Good Heart at about 5 or 6 years. Maybe your little guy will be ready next year.
To the rest: thanks for your stories. I love to hear them! Spread the word to your friends and help me figure out how to really get Good Heart out there next year.
HAVE A JOYOUS HOLIDAY!
Dr. P
Give praise to God. Madison, an 9 yr old girl receives life saving kidney transplant. See Madison ( www.shesangopera.blogspot.com ). Consider donating to her COTA fund ( www.cota.org ).
Charity really gives kids a sense of worth!
Emilee
Post a Comment