Teach your kids to make a difference

There are many wonderful ways to teach your child grace and generosity. Here are five simple suggestions:

1. Volunteer with your child at a soup kitchen or a food bank. Take the time to hear some of the stories of the people who use these facilities.

2. Brainstorm a list of vulnerable people in your community, like the elderly, homeless, blind, new immigrants, and others, and make an action plan to do something to help. For example, read for someone who is blind, or take an elderly person shopping.

3. Encourage your child to ask, Can I help? Little things like holding the door open for strangers, smiling at others or helping around the house will garner gratitude.

4. Nurture empathy by describing the emotional costs of bad behaviour. This helps children appreciate that their behaviour affects others and motivates them to be "good" because of the empathy they feel for others. Grounding your discipline in reasoning and explanation, rather than power, sends the message that the more powerful must treat the more vulnerable with justice and respect. For example, if your child does something to make a younger sibling cry, scolding only reinforces power dynamics. On the other hand, gently explaining that your child's actions made a sibling sad, the way he or she felt sad when he or she hurt her knee last week (or another example of when he or she felt sad), will help nurture empathy.

5. With your child, collect toys and clothing your family no longer uses. Donate them to a local women's shelter or another service organization.

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