Teaching Children About Doing Good Deeds As A Part Of Life

Too often today it seems like a good deed is seen as a way to create an advantage for the person doing the deed. It isn’t always about help or simply being a caring human being; it is about leveraging the situation for an advantage.

If this is the case, is it truly a good deed? In the definition of the term, it is not; rather it is a self-serving act that simply had a positive impact for another. Teaching children the difference between a selfless good deed and a calculated action is an important part of preparing children to be great people throughout life.

A Child’s Perspective

The wonderful thing about children is that they are very willing to help others, to be kind and to genuinely care for others. It is up to parents to continue to provide recognition for children in these acts of kindness and to also provide them with the motivation to retain this perspective of helping others because it is the right thing to do.

There are several ways that parents can provide motivation for kids to keep helping others and performing those good deeds that come so naturally to the little ones. Thankfully, this practice is something that can be a defining part of the family and one that everyone will be able to take part in and value.

Practicing Gratitude

One of the easiest ways to teach children about the importance of being kind to others is to model it in the family. When kids hear Mom and Dad says “thanks” or “thank you” to each other, to strangers and to the kids themselves it becomes a part of the child’s vocabulary as well.

However, it shouldn’t just stop there. Mom and Dad, as well as other adults in the family, can also show children the power of being kind to others. This can include acts of kindness such as:

• Holding or opening the door for someone.
• Helping a person with a task they are struggling with.
• Helping an elderly person to cross the road, load or unload their groceries or even reach an object on the shelf in the grocery store.
• Volunteering for a community project that supports people in the community.
• Sharing their gifts and talents to help someone out who is in need.

The benefits of this type of modeling create an attitude focused on helping others for children. This is a wonderful gift to give a child and a gift that will help your kids to be wonderful, appreciative and compassionate adults.