Most of us that live here in North America are pretty blessed with material things that we take for granted.  Most of us have a good job, food, friends, a roof over our head, maybe some extra cash to spend on one or two luxuries, that kind of thing..  Yes, we contribute to disasters such as the hurricane in Haiti and the one that hit Pakistan, but what do we do on a daily basis and better still what do you we do about teaching our kids about being charitable?  You say, I have worked hard for everything I have, hey! Good for you!  But now is the time to share the wealth.

Most of us live in a not only in a world that seems to be trying to keep up with the fictional ‘Joneses’ but go above and beyond what they have.  I find that we are teaching our kids the same lesson.  My daughter has a friend who is 12 now, but even when she was 8, she had her own TV, VCR, phone, phone line, all the little toys a kid shouldn’t live without.  Seriously, what will she have to save and work for when she is a teenager?  Plus, I actually would like to see my daughters once in a while so that means no TV in their bedroom (much to their chagrin!) It makes me wonder what’s next for these parents to buy their daughter?  A mini fridge and a small grill for her bedroom?  Ok, ok I know I am exaggerating, but you get the picture.

I think that if our kids see us help with our community, they will want to help as well.  I know what you are saying, it is hard to physically help out, all I can do is send them a cheque.  That’s not so bad either.  During the summer, it was hot, the girls were bored with nothing to do and for years, I have collected beads.  I had talked to a missionary from Africa and wanted my daughters to think outside of their own little world.  So my daughters and I decided to make bracelets to sell and send the money to less fortunate kids their own age all over the world.  My younger daughter sorts out the beads and packages the bracelets while my older daughter and I make bracelets.

Helping out in a soup kitchen, having a yard sale and donating the profits to charity, even collecting used clothing (a friend of mine did this for the victims of the tsunami) can help too and surely sets a good example for the our world’s next generation of leaders!  Remember GRATITUDE IS AN ATTITUDE!  And with the Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend and the American one right around the corner, it is time to think about giving back.