I live in a community where I am often asked by moms, “We have so much. How do I fight the entitlement I fear my child will develop?” We all want our children to be grateful and develop empathy. I believe one of the greatest ways to help our children fight the belief they deserve more is to expose them to a world in need. Educating our children about the struggles children their age face in other countries allows them to catch a glimpse of how much they have already been given. Below are some ways to introduce your children to a world that seems far away.
1) Adopting a Compassion, World Vision or Vision Trust Child
These organizations do more for us than provide us an opportunity to support a child in need. They provide our families an insider’s view of a county, child and different way of life. I believe when our children understand the lives of children who eat a single meal and their entire family lives in a house the size of their room that their perspective can shift from what they want to realizing all they have. We receive letters from these children filled with hope and faith and I love the letters my child writes in return.
These organizations do more for us than provide us an opportunity to support a child in need. They provide our families an insider’s view of a county, child and different way of life. I believe when our children understand the lives of children who eat a single meal and their entire family lives in a house the size of their room that their perspective can shift from what they want to realizing all they have. We receive letters from these children filled with hope and faith and I love the letters my child writes in return.
2) Attend a Local Compassion Experience
This event was life changing for our family. We were able to enter a trailer, wear headphones and sensorily enter a different country. I remember being moved to tears for a little girl as I could hear the men drunk right outside her door and her wondering if she needed to be married off before she even become a teenager for the sake of her younger brothers and sisters.Their stories also reinforced the difference we as a family could make around the world through sponsorship in an experiential way even my small children could understand. If you live in my area, there will be one in Plano on October 26-30. For more information, see the link below:
This event was life changing for our family. We were able to enter a trailer, wear headphones and sensorily enter a different country. I remember being moved to tears for a little girl as I could hear the men drunk right outside her door and her wondering if she needed to be married off before she even become a teenager for the sake of her younger brothers and sisters.Their stories also reinforced the difference we as a family could make around the world through sponsorship in an experiential way even my small children could understand. If you live in my area, there will be one in Plano on October 26-30. For more information, see the link below:
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3) Read books to your children like the ones selected in Give Your Child the World. In her book, Jamie Martin shares practical ways to raise globally minded kids through the power of story and provides lists of books that you can purchase or check out in your local library to introduce each continent through story to you children ages 4-12. As a special treat for my readers, I’m giving away this book this week. You can enter by subscribing to the counselorthoughts blog and will receive a second entry if you share this post on your social media pages (one extra entry for each one – just make sure you tag #counselorthoughts and @michellenietert so I can locate your post(s)). The winner will be drawn Sunday evening.
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