Menu
Parenting Principle #10- Giving and Receiving
By Bob Kalle
One of the concepts that parents can teach their children is that giving is better than receiving. We all like to receive gifts. It makes us feel good and wanted. Yet, in todays’ world, many of us have more than we need.
That statement comes from the culture I’m in. It’s true that there are many hungry children, poor children and homeless children. Certainly, it is the Christian way to help take care of these people. And this ability to be generous comes from the idea of giving to help people out.
I wish that my children will be generous with their time, talents and treasure. Sometimes parents get so caught up in taking the best care of our children that we forget to teach them the spirit of generosity.
I have a grandson that lost his dad when he was four years old. Being a psychologist in the field of mental health, I understand the possible consequences of that loss. It makes me want to spoil him and take care of him like his dad would. I love him with all my heart.He is the apple of my eye.
But I have to remember that it still is the adult’s job to teach important life skills to our children and grandchildren. It’s all of our responsibility to teach our youth what it means to be an upstanding citizen. We should remember that we want to teach youth how to be giving and not become spoiled or selfish.
My goal in life is to do the things that will get me greeted in the next life with “Well done, good and faithful servant.” I want to follow through on the things that will make that happen. And I want to teach other people how to achieve the same greeting.
So, my question is how are you teaching your children that giving is better than receiving? And what are your strategies for achieving that goal?
Here is one other point. One way to guarantee happiness is to be motivated to make other people happy. If making others happy makes us happy, we can always be in control of our happiness. Just do or say something that makes other people happy. If we wait for other people to do or say something that makes us feel happy, we’re not In control of our happiness, we have put that on someone else’s shoulders. And do you want to trust yourself or others for your happiness?
