Explaining charity to kids

The schools here have regular fundraising for various different charities. I quite like this as I think it’s good for children to learn about donating to those in need. This week they’ve been asked to donate a pound to a charity in Africa but Daniel questioned this. “I don’t want to give them something if I don’t get anything in return”. To which I replied that he’d feel good about himself instead. He wasn’t convinced by this so I tried to explain that some people in the world are so poor that they don’t have enough food to eat and many don’t have homes to live in. He said they should get a builder to build them a house. I replied that they don’t have any money to pay the builder. So he said they should do what they do in Minecraft and mine for gold and diamonds and then give that to the builders. I gave up at this point 🙂 Perhaps I’ll share the drowning child story when he comes home to see what he makes of it. It’s here if you’re unsure what I mean:

I like that Daniel questions everything. I wish more adults did. Always question everything.

Posted

March 27, 2015

Journal

Rachel M

Tags:

charity, donate, poverty, question

Comments

7 responses to “Explaining charity to kids”

Denise

March 27, 2015

I like it that you have the patience to give him answers too 🙂

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1. Rachel M
  
  March 27, 2015
  
  Thanks! He comes out with funny things sometimes.
  
  Reply
scifihammy

March 27, 2015

I think Daniel may be a brilliant business man 🙂 But I like that the school supports charities. There is always someone much worse off than you are.

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1. Rachel M
  
  March 27, 2015
  
  Yes, I think he’s business-minded. I’ve seen it in other things he does too.
  
  Reply
Victor Venema

March 27, 2015

For a second I thought you wanted to drown Daniel if he would not clear up his act.

Reply
1. Rachel M
  
  March 27, 2015
  
  Goodness no! I like that he questions things. I just have to make sure I give him a good reason for why we should help others in need.
  
  Reply
Sarah Jane Hird

March 29, 2015

Actually, I tend to follow Daniel’s lead quite a bit when it comes to fundraising- Our local art gallery is seeking local sponsorship to help it extend the present buildings- I think its a good cause as it means we will see the rewards of what the local community has done with the money- Our extended family went to a community in Burma to set up micro-financing etc- they were so busy getting ready for their venture and putting capital into it that when my husband needed to come from Palmerston North to Wanganui from a flight, they were only prepared to go as far as Bulls- that is a 40min drive from Wanganui…not a big deal, although at the time I had the 2 girls and was 8 and a half months pregnant- I also had to drive there and back in the dark- as it was about 8.30 at night- ended up paying a baby-sitter so I wouldn’t be disturbing the girls- It might seem petty, although when the chips are down, and they did come down later when they tried to challenge their sisters over some family money and lost plus were forced to pay court costs as well… I don’t see their Burmese people they spent a lot of energy fundraising for coming back to help them out!? Perhaps I am being mercenary- but I think working locally is a good way to start.

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