Teaching generosity!

Monday, January 18th, was a significant day for our family.  The significance came from the celebration of Martin Luther King day and the opportunities to serve our community.  Martin Luther King was a great servant to our country and community organizers have utilized that memory to inspire others to serve in his honor.

I was able to take my wife and oldest daughter to Manhattan to volunteer in some of their community activities.  We choose to help an organization that sends school supplies to kids in Iraq and Afghanistan.  The organization is called Help us learn…Give us hope.  We were able to pack about 50 boxes of school supplies to send overseas.

Before we began to pack boxes I explained to my daughter what we were going to do and what the supplies would do once they reached their destination.  During my explanation a big smile came across her face and her eyes opened wide with anticipation.  I was truly blessed as I watched the enthusiasm in my daughter as she helped me pack the boxes.

I really want to encourage dads with this post.  Did I do anything amazing that any other dad could not do himself?  No, I simply was intentional in helping my daughter learn about being generous with her time.  Since we had the day off from work and she had the day off from school it would have been very easy to stay home and play or do something else she would consider “fun.”

Dads, again I want to encourage you to look for ways to enjoy time with your kids and be able to pass on important lessons at the same time.  As I mention in my book Dad Cents, most lessons are caught and not taught!

10 Principles of money to teach your children in 2010

Money has a huge impact on your children now, later in life when they are adults and maybe even parents as well.  You have a tremendous responsibility that can effect generations to come.

1. Ownership – Your kids understanding of their ownership role with money and possessions play a role in a how they treat their family and others.
2. Managing – Managing is the active part of ownership.  Give your kids an allowance so they can begin to learn how to utilize the money.
3. Trustworthiness – Developing trustworthiness in your children now will provide opportunity as adults.
4. Accountability – Give your kids responsibility with money or possessions and hold them accountable.
5. Generosity – Your children must learn to think of others with their money.
6. Effectiveness – Your example in getting things done (being effective)so your children learn to get things done will be significant to your children.
7. Faithfulness – Not only saying you believe something but following through.
8. Efficiency – Teach your children to figure out the best way to get things done and invest their money.
9. Disciplined – Teach your children to resist the temptation of quick pleasure versus hard work to attain a higher goal.
10. Contentment – Teach your children to be happy with the material possessions they have.

Dads, the current trend is to take care of the earth but we have an even greater responsibility and that is to take care of our family.  Have a great 2010!