Child's Christmas charity project

[Ashful]

I'm looking for good ideas on a Christmas charity project for my 4-year old son. My family is relatively lucky (at least financially... not so much on the long life and health), and so we have made giving a lot to charity an important part of our lives. Since time is in shorter supply than money, most of our charity is financial, although we do adopt a family each year thru one of the programs such as Salvation Army, and buy gifts and household items for everyone in the family.

I try to explain to our son, how lucky he is, but you know... it just doesn't sink in at that age. I'm trying to think of a good charity project for him to do, and the Christmas season is often the best time for such opportunities. Any good ideas, which might be within the grasp of a 4 year old? Our church youth group does a lot of such work, but he's too young for those activities.

 

[Jags]

With a young child it can often be difficult to "feel" the human emotion. But show him a hungry or sick puppy and it will tug at their heart strings.
I obviously value humans over critters, but if you are looking for one of "lifes little lessons" consider a project that may revolve around critter shelters or helping animals in some way. A young lad knowing that he helped a sick puppy or hungry kitten might be the way to open a door to (human) compassion. You will then have a comparison to "sick" or "Hungry" or "without a home" that the young lad can compare to. Just a thought.

 

[firefighterjake]

With a young child it can often be difficult to "feel" the human emotion. But show him a hungry or sick puppy and it will tug at their heart strings.
I obviously value humans over critters, but if you are looking for one of "lifes little lessons" consider a project that may revolve around critter shelters or helping animals in some way. A young lad knowing that he helped a sick puppy or hungry kitten might be the way to open a door to (human) compassion. You will then have a comparison to "sick" or "Hungry" or "without a home" that the young lad can compare to. Just a thought.

You're a better man than me . . . I feel just the opposite most of the time.

I do agree with Jags' points though . . . only possible negative could be that Joful Jr. could get too attached to a dog or cat and want to bring him/her home.

 

[Jags]

Jake - I am one of the luckiest people on the planet. Great family, great friends and I constantly meet amazing and generous people. I surround myself with that type of person and dis-associate from those on the other side of the fence. Mean people suck.

 

[Delta-T]

we (my wife, son and I) are big on the local animal rescue league. we got all our cats from there, and we visit often, and make annual donations of food, litter and whatnot to the place. they always have at least a few animals that are alone in cages for one reason or another and it was easy to make an example of how some animals (and people) don't have anyone without the help of others (like the rescue league). I think the analogy worked for the most part cuz our son is pretty good about offering help, at school, to the neighbors and stuff.....never around the house though, who you kidding.

 

[Ashful]

Animals are cute, and might make you feel good, but I'm more concerned with helping people. Kudos to all of you who spend your free time helping at the local animal shelter, but I really don't know why anyone would devote dollars to saving cats and dogs, when there are hungry kids in bad situations.

 

[Ehouse]

Animals are cute, and might make you feel good, but I'm more concerned with helping people. Kudos to all of you who spend your free time helping at the local animal shelter, but I really don't know why anyone would devote dollars to saving cats and dogs, when there are hungry kids in bad situations.

Joful, those are admirable sentiments. I think information can be a great gift. Do some research on hospice, food pantrys, clinics, etc. and make the info. available to your community. I was delighted to find a free dental hygiene clinic 30 miles away in Rome NY. It's a teaching facility in the State U. system. They're so starved for patients, the students advertise on craigslist. They are happy to provide posters, information packets, and students will come to towns and make presentations on request.

 

[My Oslo heats my home]

I can see when a 4 yr old participates with his family doing charity work and it happens consistently over the years that he/she will pick up the idea and continue the "tradition" (if you will.... at x-mas time) on a regular basis. It will teach them much more than just doing that one good deed every year.

At his age and helping the your family with the adopted family you help provide for, maybe he could directly participate with purchase decisions that may impact a girl or boy his age. Having him put change in the salvation army kettle and explaining on his level what he just did. Maybe he could help pack some no longer worn clothes that could be donated to a needy family or organization. Choosing a boy or girl with worldwide organization that he could help write letters or draw pictures for. In return when you get something in return you could read the letter to him and explain what he helped do for this child.

Just some ideas...

 

[Ashful]

I can see when a 4 yr old participates with his family doing charity work and it happens consistently over the years that he/she will pick up the idea and continue the "tradition" (if you will.... at x-mas time) on a regular basis. It will teach them much more than just doing that one good deed every year.

At his age and helping the your family with the adopted family you help provide for, maybe he could directly participate with purchase decisions that may impact a girl or boy his age. Having him put change in the salvation army kettle and explaining on his level what he just did. Maybe he could help pack some no longer worn clothes that could be donated to a needy family or organization. Choosing a boy or girl with worldwide organization that he could help write letters or draw pictures for. In return when you get something in return you could read the letter to him and explain what he helped do for this child.

Just some ideas...

Thanks, Oslo! I never really thought about it like that. Here I am looking for something he can do separately, when there's a great opportunity to just involve him more in what we're already doing.

 

[Mrs. Krabappel]

Right now my son and I are working hard to put some positive stuff out there whenever the opportunity arises. We do little goofy stuff mostly.

What's been really rewarding is finding a person or a family at the discount grocer and finding a way to pass on a spot of cash. We have fun deciding on the recipient and then brainstorming the transfer. We've also been to the laundrymat and donated a tube of quarters to an obviously needy situation. We bring butcher bones to the dog rescue, and that's almost as much fun for us as it is for the dogs.

I've stopped being involved in any organization with an overly paid CEO. Our salvation army structures their giving in such a way as to exclude our migrant farm worker families. There's a big push for the Christmas shoebox here, but the main goal of that organization is to spread the word of Christ. The giving is secondary to prostheletizing. We aren't Christian, so don't take that route. Plus there's something very heartwarming about helping people directly get food and warm clothes.

There's always a soup kitchen. You could make a plate of browies or the like to donate.

 

[Mrs. Krabappel]

Schools do a lot to feed, clothe, and gift kids. Call the guidance counselor at your local school. Your money or items will to straight to a needy child. Personally I feed a lot of kids every day. I've had friends donate boxes of power bars, beef jerky, single serve peanuts,etc. These go to kids who don't have much access to food once they get home.

 

[rideau]

Since the were tiny, my daughter has taken her children to buy a Christmas present for a child without a parent (father or mother), has had them choose the present, wrap it, and take it to the fire station in Maui, where they tell the fireman that it is for a child without a Daddy or Mommy.

It makes them even more aware than they already are (their Dad had stomach cancer when they were 4 and 6 respectively, and went through surgery and a year of radiation and chemo, treatment in NYC, so they were all away from their home in Hawaii for a year...very traumatic for the kids) how lucky thy are to have parents and a home.

 

[Swedishchef]

We recently went through all of the kids toys and my 3 year old had to pick out 5 toys he would give away "to a boy or girl who isn't as lucky to have so many nice things". He had to tell us why he thought it would be a good gift. We got "he could cuddle with them when he is scared" and "because it is fun to play with" as answers.

We also gave our car seat (for newborn), stroller, 2 bases and over $400 in used clothing. All of this went to a girl who we know is pregnant (single parent) and is due anytime. However, she is quite less fortunate and can't afford much. She needed the stuff more than I needed the $400 I could have sold the stuff for.

Locally, a shopping mall has stars on a tree. Each star represents a gift idea for a boy/girl who is needy. You pick a star, buy the gift and donate.

All that to say I find it terribly sad at Christmas to see older people or young children with not much food/company/warmth.

 

[Lake Girl]

A couple of weeks ago, while putting a shopping cart way in the racks, I found some prepaid phone cards in the bottom of another cart and took them inside to the customer service counter. My youngest daughter (20 yo) commented that she has gone out of her way to reunite found items with owners and that Mom & Dad had taught her well to be honest.

One of our sons did the same thing when he found prescription glasses in the parking lot at a store (he was with my hubby).

They all know the story of the time I received fabric from a neighbor when the grandma passed away and they were cleaning out her sewing items. Turns out Granny liked to stash cash around the house ... I unfolded the fabric late that night to find $5,000 tucked away inside. I think the neighbors were floored when I returned the cash the next day - not by the stash but that I returned it

They've grown up with giving their used clothes to younger cousins, donating clothes and other items to Salvation Army and Habitat Restore. Environmentally friendly and gives someone else a helping hand.

Our children learn by our actions - seeing your participation in charitable acts and including them when age appropriate makes those activities an ingrained part of their lives. They will teach their children in the same way...