A five-year old girl, let’s call her Noor, decided to put a smile on the faces of children her age, but slightly different from her. Some of these children had lost their parents, some were not so well, some were keen to study but did not have enough books. One afternoon, after returning from school, Noor brought out all her toys and began selecting the ones she was done playing with, ones still in perfect condition. After sorting out the toys, she picked out some books that she had already read many times, ones that she would love for other kids to read. Then came clothes and shoes that she had outgrown but still in good condition.
Seeing Noor, her three-year old brother Zain also wanted to give his favourite giraffe toy and the book on animals. One by one, they placed all the items carefully in a box that Noor would take to school the next day to be given children who truly needed these. At the tender age of three and five, Zain and Noor are keen to make a difference in the lives of children for whom getting a new art & craft set or a toy or an ice-cream is not that easy.
Children learn through what they see, hear and experience – if they are exposed to an environment of kindness, they learn empathy. If they are exposed to an environment of conscious giving – be that volunteering, donating or participating in chosen causes, it teaches them the spirit of giving back. And these lessons should start early as soon as the child begins to understand the concept of giving – sometimes as early as three years. Even small acts of sharing a book or a toy with a friend is a great start, teaching the child to share.
Growing up in a country like the UAE, children are naturally exposed to a privileged environment. This makes it even more important on the part of parents and teachers to consistently nurture in them the spirit of giving to foster an empathetic mindset. In doing so, practical experiences are crucial. For example, we celebrated April as the sustainability month at the Orange Seeds Nursery to commemorate Earth Day, teaching children the importance of caring for the environment.
Similarly, during Ramadan, we explain to them why certain people fast, how some of them may not have enough food to break their fast and, importantly, how we can help them. We created the ‘Help my Iftar Box’ encouraging children to bring packaged goods like labaan, water, dates to be placed inside these boxes. It was overwhelmingly heartening to see the joy in the three-year-olds as they contributed to these boxes. Such experiences play a big role in creating a philanthropic attitude.
In the past, we have also collaborated with the Abu Dhabi Autism Centre and Al Noor Training Centre to support these organisations, committed to creating a real difference in the lives of specially-abled children. This also gives our children an opportunity to get engaged in such endeavours by donating their pre-loved books, toys and clothes, therein deepening their urge to give and in turn, even value their privileges.
To foster a spirit of giving among children, it is vital to remember that as parents and teachers we are their role models. As such, we must consciously endeavour to help them imbibe certain habits:
- Make giving a long-term habit among children, by encouraging them to give consistently – be that donating pre-loved items or carefully packaged foodstuff and slightly older children could even donate a part of their pocket money to a cause.
- Parents and teachers should gradually introduce children to volunteering activities for hands-on experience.
- Finally, a child’s mind is like a sponge capable of picking up the good and bad. Thus, it is pivotal for parents and teachers to create a value-centric environment for children – one that teaches empathy, kindness and giving. Even storytelling is a great way to teach them kindness and other values.