Giving Compass' Take:
- A family's perception on parents' giving behavior is strongly related to the future of philanthropy.
- How you give will impact how your children and grandchildren give. How intentional is your giving plan and do you want to lead by example for the rest of your family?
- There are studies that show how children are affected differently by their parents' giving behavior.
What is Giving Compass?
We connect donors to learning resources and ways to support community-led solutions. Learn more about us.
Have you ever wondered when you should start training your kids and grandkids about money and giving? Well, the truth is ... children in America are already bombarded with powerful financial messages at a very young age.
According to estimates from the American Psychological Association, advertisers spend more than $12 billion per year to reach the youth market, and children view more than 40,000 TV and Internet commercials each year.
As any parent knows, kids learn best by observing what we do rather than by what we say. To help you explore how well you are teaching your kids and grandkids about giving, here are some helpful questions to reflect on:
- Do my kids and grandkids ever see me give?
- Do my kids and grandkids know where I give?
- Are my kids and grandkids involved in giving?
- How have my kids and grandkids experienced giving firsthand?
- If I asked my family how important generosity is to me, what would they say?
- What causes and charities are my kids and grandkids concerned about?
- Where can we volunteer together as a family?
- How does my family think I define success and being “rich”?
- Do my kids and grandkids see me practicing kindness and gratefulness?
- What does my family say that I am famous for?
Read more about teaching your kids about giving by the NCF staff at National Christen Foundation.