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 The holidays are also an important time to remember those who don’t enjoy a Christmas season like ours – many unfortunate people go without presents, a warm home or food. Whether your family observes the holiday as religious or secular, it is important to show children that the spirit of the season goes well beyond the trimmings and church services. It goes beyond even the big family dinners and Christmas prayers, and most of all, beyond Christmas day, for ’tis the season of gratitude and giving. “Showing kids that, yes, you can make a difference is empowering to the mind and soul,” says Valarie Ruig, a fifth-grade teacher at Courreges Elementary School in Fountain Valley. “I want to teach the kids that you don't have to give millions of dollars or have some other grandiose gift to make a difference.” Ruig’s class initiated a shoe drive for Soles4Souls, a charity that distributes donated shoes among victims of natural disasters and the poor and homeless in the U.S. and around the world. The school collected a total of 377 pairs of shoes. Customize your game plan Consider projects that best suit your child’s personality. Is he curious, asking lots of questions? Or is he more of a hands-on kid, who likes to build, cook or create? Does your child like leadership roles or collaborative ones? Is he or she a high-energy people person or low-impact achiever? If you tailor your “lesson plan” to your children’s interests and activity levels, they are much more likely to stay interested and engaged in the process. Attention is paramount If your tween is bored or uninterested in the lesson, the lesson will fail, plain and simple. Putting the message in terms of their interests – or choosing activities that engage their ideas and imagination – will ensure a more receptive state of mind. If one method doesn’t work, try another. Ask your child what he likes or doesn’t like about the projects you’ve been doing, and what he would like more. Keeping a pre-teen’s attention can sometimes be a challenge, but collaboration and communication can bring great rewards. Reiterate and get their response Always make it clear why you are doing what you are doing, explain why it’s important, and ask for your child’s feedback. Making this a collaborative learning experience for everyone involved will give it more weight than a one-time kids-only lecture. Share the experience All of these recommendations come with the suggestion that this is a group activity. Teach by example. Learn with your tween, but learn from them, too. This is a perfect opportunity for a shared experience and a tradition your family will be eager to repeat. “My students may never meet those who they have helped. But does that matter? No,” Ruig says. “They will know they put a smile on someone's face, and that is the true gift.” WORTHY CAUSES Please remember: Give with your heart. World Wildlife Federation wwf.org Adopt a wild animal. It makes an ideal gift for any and every animal lover. Heifer International heifer.org As little as $40 can buy a goat for a third-world family, bringing them valuable independence. Make-A-Wish Foundation wish.org Kids can organize their own community clubs through their schools or neighborhoods. Surfrider Foundation surfrider.org Regularly scheduled beach cleanups are great for the whole family! Habitat for Humanity habitatoc.org Hands-on building projects in which kids under 16 can participate, include landscaping and plant cultivation projects. Second Harvest Food Bank feedoc.org With most of the country feeling the crunch of the economic downturn, food banks are being hit hardest. A gift of any dollar amount can help. Caitlin Adams is an intern for OC Family magazine. |
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