They say that random acts of kindness can create a huge impact on someone else's life no matter the size of the gesture. It's also the best way to teach children how to have compassion, empathy and the drive to serve other people.
Parents can instill the value of doing kind deeds in their children's consciousness without any cost as spreading charity or good doesn't always involve giving money. Studies also show that children are eager to do random acts of kindness because they feel more positive, accepted and involved.
Here are some random acts of kindness to do with the children without costing a lot of money:
1. Write handwritten letters to someone who does not expect it.
Perhaps there's someone who may need some cheering up with an unexpected letter, such as a neighbor, the cops or firemen, or the person who does the regular delivery courier route in your neighborhood. It may also be a staff at the local grocery store who has always been helpful to the family.
Let the children write whatever good things they want to say to this person, including wishing them well in the coming year. The letter may also be a chance for the kids to express their appreciation for the person.
According to the New York Times, sans texts and other digital forms of communications, the old-fashioned form of sending letters is making a comeback this pandemic and it would be joy to allow your children to have this experience for the first time.
2. Have your teens babysit a cousin or a friend's children for free.
If you have teenagers, suggest that they could offer to babysit a younger cousin or the children of their parents' friends without expecting payment. In the process, this will allow the adults to run some errands or get their much-needed me-time before the craziness of the holidays.
It will also be good training for the teens to develop responsibility and other important life skills that they will need in adulthood. According to author and psychologist Dr. John Duffy, this will also help the teens boos their sense of self-worth because they are entrusted to take care of the kids.
Another option for teens is to offer to drive an elderly person, such as their grandparents or an elderly neighbor, for their errands for the day.
3. Pass food and drinks to strangers for free.
Bake a batch of cookies with the kids to give away to workers at city hall or the local clinic, who likely do not get a lot of thanks for the job that they do to the community. Start a lemonade stand in a busy street corner to give to passers-by for free. Some might become suspicious of it but think of how much fun your kids will have if they are the ones giving something away, just like Santa Claus. According to the experts, it's second nature for children to be generous so this wouldn't be such a hard task to pull.
