My daughter has been planning her birthday party for the last six months. Sometimes she bursts into her very own “Happy Birthday to Me” song. She’s pondered the flavor of her cake and birthday theme. She’s even created her own invitations, but the thing my daughter is most excited about in regards to her birthday party is hanging out with her friends.

One of the reasons kids love parties is because they get to be with their friends. Heck, it’s one of the reasons I love parties. That’s why throwing a party with a purpose is such a great idea. You choose an organization your kids are interested in. Teach your kids to be more others focused, and then gather your friends to garner support.

Last fall, we participated in an national event called The Almost- Sleepover. The Almost-Sleepover was a party held on the same day by kids all across the United States in honor of a local nonprofit in their hometown. Fifteen pajama-clad kids showed up at my house. We baked, made up dance routines, created art for a new children’s wing, wrote letters to sick kids, brought games to donate to sick children, and most of all, had fun.

Our Almost-Sleepover was a way my daughter could see how service and fun can (and should!) be combined. The result of our Almost-Sleepover was more than a couple crates of donated books and toys. In the end, the girls toured the local facility we donated to, and now, a couple families volunteer there regularly.

Changing the world? Not yet. Changing little hearts. For sure.

 What kind of party with a purpose could your family become involved in this year? How can you make your kids’ party filled with purpose?

Can one beyond blessed family move from addicted to themselves to devoted to others? The author of this post shares honestly at Amy L. Sullivan about her family’s attempt to become less me, me, me focused and more others centered. Amy writes for print and online publications and is also writing a nonfiction book about serving others.

3 Ways a Parent Can Volunteer

Consider these three tips when searching for volunteer opportunities for your family:

Consider Your Child’s Interests

As tempting as it may be to schedule a volunteer activity you enjoy, look at your child’s interests to help determine an appropriate place to serve. I love the outdoors and a few years ago, I thought it would be fun to take garbage bags to a nearby park and have a mini park clean-up.

The idea sounded fabulous, but I didn’t take into account that my kids would see the playground and have no interest in the pick-up. I also missed the fact that my kids would view picking up trash as a required chore, while other kids at the playground had the time of their lives on the monkey bars.

Pay attention to the activities your children enjoy and combine their passions with service. Does your daughter love animals or create art? Maybe watching a neighbor’s dog or making Valentines for hospital patients would be a perfect experience. Does your teenage son enjoy working with his hands? Maybe assisting an elderly neighbor fix a broken lawnmower would be viewed as both helpful and fun.

Consider Your Child’s Abilities

I signed-up my daughter and I to work a two hour shift at a local food-bank. Two hours seemed like a reasonable amount of time until twenty minutes into our shift when my eight year-old started asking if we would be given water and a snack on our break. A break? Was she kidding? We were just putting cans in boxes and working at a very slow pace. Two hours of sorting canned goods is nothing for me, but the task proved too long and tedious for my eight-year-old.

Think about the limits your child possesses and don’t dismiss things such as attention span or physical limitations.

Consider Kid-Friendly Organizations

Let’s face it, not everyone is going to see the value of bringing a young child to assist with volunteering. That’s why some organizations set age-requirements and suggested guidelines for those who volunteer. Make a point to follow them! Seek out organizations that recognize the importance of education and experience over productivity.

It takes more effort to incorporate your child’s interests and abilities when scheduling a volunteer activity for your family, but by doing so and also searching out child-friendly organizations, your kids will have a positive volunteer experience that will leave your family longing to help others again.

What tips can you add to this list to ensure volunteering with children is both helpful and instills the desire to volunteer again?

Photo courtesy of flickr.

Can one beyond blessed family move from addicted to themselves to devoted to others? The author of this post shares honestly at Amy L. Sullivan about her family’s attempt to become less me, me, me focused and more others centered. Amy writes for print and online publications and is also writing a nonfiction book about serving others.

12 Ways You and Your Kids Can Serve Others

Today we are talking about 12 ways you and your kids can serve others. Get ready for some others-centered fun.

1. Walk across the street and welcome a new neighbor.
2. Write thank you notes to people who serve you: a teacher, the garbage man, local fire fighters.
3. Tour a facility that helps people in your community such as a local food bank.
4. Participate in a Craft Hope Project.
5. Learn about the life of someone in another country.
6. Sew a blanket for Project Linus.
7. Read 77 Creative Ways Kids Can Serve.
8. Start a change jar and let your child pick a cause your family can support.
9. Offer to read at the library’s story time.
10. Go to Volunteer Match to find a local service project.
11. Read about teens making an impact at Generation On.
12. Plan a party with a purpose.

What family activities do you and your kids love to do that help those who are in need?

Can one beyond blessed family move from addicted to themselves to devoted to others? The author of this post shares honestly at Amy L. Sullivan about her family’s attempt to become less me, me, me focused and more others centered. Amy writes for print and online publications and is also writing a nonfiction book about serving others.

Collect

Teach kids to collect. Depending on the time of year, you can find agencies and churches collecting just about anything: school supplies, coats, shoes, glasses, blankets, and canned goods. You should be sure to jump on one of these already established drives.

Last fall, our family participated in a local food drive. We hauled out our wagon, walked around a section of our neighborhood, and asked neighbors if they wanted to contribute dry goods. The response was colossal and, in addition to all of the non-perishables, we also got to know our neighbors better.

Create

Teach kids to create. Paintings, pictures, and colorful creations made by little hands bring sunshine into homes of people who live alone. Organizations such as Color a Smile and Post Pals  encourage children to create mini-masterpieces and lovefilled letters.

Cash-In

Teach kids to cash-in. Using even the most basic supplies and a little parental help, kids can create cookie or lemonade stands, and turn quarters and dimes into tangible donations.

Two summers ago, my daughter and her friends gathered posterboard, markers, two pitchers of lemonade, and plastic cups. In under two hours, these girls turned a few supplies into $30.00. Then, with their new found riches, each girl decided to give half of her earnings to a cause.

Will dry goods, colored pictures, and $15.00 change the world? Probably not, but I’m pretty sure it’s changing my daughter.

How will you encourage your kids to give back this year?

Can one beyond blessed family move from addicted to themselves to devoted to others? The author of this post shares honestly at Amy L. Sullivan about her family’s attempt to become less me, me, me focused and more others centered. Amy writes for print and online publications and is also writing a nonfiction book about serving others.

Last night, my kids and I were in an edible arts and crafts mode. We got out our supplies and tripled the recipe, leaving us with enough left over to share with three families in our neighborhood as holiday gifts.

How to Make Crafts for Christmas Gifts

Here’s what you need and how to make chocolate gifts.

Supplies

• Christmas cookie cutters in a variety of shapes (We used snowflakes, stars, and a gingerbread family.)
• Wilton candy melts (We used three varieties: white, milk, and peppermint white chocolate.)
• Wilton disposable decorating bags (We needed three, one each for the different kinds of chocolate.)
• Cookie sheet
• Wooden spoon
• Scissors
• Wax paper or Crisco (We preferred to grease the cookie sheet, but you may also place a piece of wax paper on top instead.)
• Paper towels
• Cellophane wrap (We used clear.)
• Ribbon

Instructions

Step 1: In preparation, place a sheet of wax paper on or grease a cookie sheet. Place cookie cutters on top of the wax paper or greased cookie sheet. Then, fill a disposable decorating bag about 3/4ths of the way full of chocolate candies (one variety per bag). Microwave for 30 seconds and remove to pat the bag with a wooden spoon. Microwave for 15 seconds. Repeat until chocolate is melted. Once the chocolate is melted, cut the tip of the disposable bag.

Step 2: Squeeze the chocolate around the edges of the cookie cutter first and then proceed to the center, filling the entire cookie cutter with chocolate. When all cookie cutters have chocolate in them, tap the pan on the counter to smooth out the chocolate. Add another layer of chocolate for effect: milk or dark and white chocolate and milk or dark and peppermint white chocolate are especially fun. Also, consider adding sprinkles or crushed peppermint candies to the top.

Step 3: Place cookie sheet in the refrigerator to cool. Once cooled, determine whether you’d like to give the gifts with or without the cookie cutter.

If you are including the cookie cutter with the gift, you are ready to wrap in cellophane and tie with a ribbon.

If you are not including the cookie cutter with the gift, remove the chocolate from each cookie cutter and place in the cellophane, wrap, and tie with a ribbon. And voila! You have the perfect neighbor gifts.

What are your favorite edible holiday craft activities to do with your kids?

This year, my kids and I will be decorating a homeless Christmas tree along with homeless people in downtown Dallas. It will be a rewarding experience because they will remember the love, gratitude, and joy in the faces of the people they spent time with. They will also get a little bonding time with mom at the same time.

What’s your desire when it comes to giving? There are so many ways to give because there’s so much need. In America alone, thousands of homeless men women and children live on the street. 10,000 homeless kids are enrolled in Chicago schools alone. There are orphanages and homes for the elderly in every major city. In the smallest of towns, there are poverty stricken people who need a helping hand, or inspiring word.

A girl I know volunteers her time in a domestic abuse shelter. I lead homeless writing groups. Whatever your skill, or passion, you can use it to give back.

3 Ways to Teach Your Kids About Giving Back to Others

The following are three ways to cultivate giving:

1. Cultivate a sense of giving in your kids by making giving a normal part of life, not a random event.
2. Teach them to have a servants heart. Be open to new adventures and opportunities to serve others!
3. Allow your kids pick a needy child or family to give love, toys or time to in the New Year.

When I was contacted by an organization that has a school for kids and a clinic to fight aids in Africa, I was a little uneasy about it. I’m not Bono and I’m certainly not Madonna. They asked me to come over and possibly speak and teach curriculum to achieve life skills, something I teach in inner city schools of America.

Months later, the director of the center, flew over and shared the vision with me. He stayed at my home, met my kids, and talked about the HIV rate and how many of their babies are born with the disease. Him, his wife, and two boys live amongst these kids daily. Their mission is to try and save lives.

He shared stories my kids they will never forget. The deadly black mamba snake, lions, tigers, and how his oldest son catches snakes all the time, right outside their back door. It both frightened and exhilarated me to think of such a vastly different culture. Here was an non-imposing man, who went barefoot everywhere (including Home Depot) in Texas, as if it were perfectly normal!

Their center, the Sophumelela Center, provides education for adults, and children. It provides two meals a day for little kids who normally eat nothing, or a porridge soup. They are a dynamic, progressive, and growing organization that endeavours not to lose its personal touch. The outcome is for beneficiaries to move people to self-sustainability through their comprehensive battery of programs. Their vision is to see a society free from the suffering of HIV/AIDS and they will achieve this through their mission to provide medical care and treatment, education, social enterprise and development, and replication and partnerships.

When the director left, my six year-old said, “I really want to go to Africa.” I kept envisioning him running through the fields with black Mambas. This is not any American mothers idea of fun. But maybe I should be open to the possibility that God could touch my children’s hearts in ways my own plans could not.

Maybe I need to have a heart for Africa after all. What about you?

What’s your plan for giving this year? How will you get your whole family involved in giving back to those in need over the next year?

Photo courtesy of Flickr.

Tammy Kling is a life coach, advocate for the homeless, and international author of 29 books including The Compass. Tammy is also the founderr of Write it Out, an organization that helps gang members, the homeless, and those living on the street write out their hopes & dreams via writers workshops, free journals and various other resources.

In addition to writing and coaching, Tammy is a mom of two boys, an avid trail and mountain runner, blogger, and adventure travel writer.

One perfect example in teaching a child to be responsible is by taking care of a family pet. And what better way to support the local community than by adopting the newest family member from an animal shelter or humane society.

Although they are often ignored, animals in local shelters can make perfect pets. Many are already trained and/or housebroken, and have been left by owners who can no longer afford them or don’t have time for them.

If you have decided that a dog would be the best pet for your family, you can certainly find this loyal companion at the local humane society. Start with your child’s involvement at the very beginning by letting them be a part of the selection process.

Meeting Your Dog

Before adopting from the humane society, let each member of your family meet the dog. This can build an instant bond within the family, and contribute to the excitement of taking care of this new family member. Be sure to interact with the animal at the shelter, to ensure the dog is a good fit for all of the people in your family. The workers at the shelter can guide you in selecting the best breed for your family.

Bringing Your Dog Home

Dogs who live in shelters are accustomed to loud, busy environments in which they seldom get either exercise or time alone. Consequently, the transition to a new home can prove challenging. Many dog owners find that placing their dogs in crates when they aren’t home can help ease anxiety. Place a puppy training pad in the crate in case your dog has an accident during the day. The crate shouldn’t be used as punishment but rather as a safe place for your your dog while no one is home.

Let your child be responsible for establishing a routine for your dog. Dogs are creatures of habit and shelter dogs are accustomed to routines. Your children can be responsible for walking, feeding, and playing with your dog at the same times every day. Provide your dog with plenty of exercise, which can help burn off nervous energy — this can even be great exercise for the kids!

Although rescuing a dog takes some work and advanced planning, you can pat yourself on the back knowing that you’ve saved a life and brought more love into your family’s home.

“Saving one animal won’t change the world, but the world will change for that one animal.”- Author Unknown

Have you ever adopted an animal from the shelter? How do you help support your local animal shelters?

Photo courtesy of Flickr.

Jane Warren is an animal lover. She has rescued so many that she’s convinced the animal community knows where she lives! Her website, PamperThePets.com, provides guidance and recommendations for popular pet supplies, like greenies dog treats.

How to Make Reindeer Candy Canes

Below is a list of supplies and step-by-step instructions for how to make the perfect reindeer candy canes to pass out to people this holiday season.

Supplies

To complete this project, you’ll need the following:

• Brown pipe cleaners
• Small red pom poms
• Small googly eyes
• Small bells
• Glue and glue gun or double sided tape (hot glue works best)
• Tag
• Cardstock
• Printer

Instructions

To make reindeer candy canes, follow these simple steps:

1. Wrap one brown pipe cleaner around the top of the curved part of the candy cane. Get creative and shape the antlers however you’d like!

2. Using a glue gun and hot glue or double sided tape, place the googly eyes below the antlers side by side and the red pom pom beneath them for the nose.

3. Thread the small bells onto the tips of the antlers.

4. Create a tag using a piece of cardstock and your printer with a phrase such as: “Happy Holidays! Thanks for Your Service!” Or, “Thanks for brightening up my day. Happy Holidays!” Or, “I appreciate your kindness. Merry Christmas!”

5. Once you have converted all of your candy canes into reindeer, divvy them up in the bags, giving an equal amount to each child. Then store them in the car and encourage everyone to hand them out to people who are kind to them during the holidays as a way of thanking them.

Tip! My boys are shy and when they were little, they had such a hard time. My suggestion, if this is the case for you, is to go with them and encourage them until they can do it themselves. The first time someone gets a surprised smile on their face and says thank you, they will want to find more and more people to pass them out to. It is contagious!

What do you and your family do to reward people for their kindness during the holiday season? How do you spread the Christmas spirit?

Now, as a stay-at-home mom raising two young boys, I’m making it my business to acquaint them with the many and diverse needs there are in our community, and the simple ways that they can give. In doing so, I’m drawing upon that same graduate-study research to help educate my efforts in raising giving children because, in many ways, nonprofit donors and kids are not that different. This can educate your efforts as well.

For instance, a 1996 article in the journal Nonprofit Management and Leadership (Mount, vol. 7, no. 1, Fall 1996) identifies four primary reasons that people donate:

1. Involvement, or the belief that one is part of a greater whole and that making a donation will help effect change for others.
2. Means, or a donor’s feeling that they are financially secure and able to share.
3. Self-Interest, i.e., to get a tax-deduction or recognition
4. Predominance, or the fact that donors tend to give most to large nonprofits, schools, or causes.

A 2010 survey by Indiana University’s Center on Philanthropy showed similar motives, with “being moved at how a gift can make a difference” still leading the list, but with the addition of “giving to an efficient organization.”

At first glance, it doesn’t seem like these motives would have anything to do with our children. They don’t have vast sums at their disposal or need tax deductions, and they tend to be fairly self-interested. But they can surprise you.

Recently, I collected pink lids from Activia yogurts and had my 8 year-old son enter the unique codes found on the underside of each one at CupsofHope.com. For every code entered, Dannon donates 10 to 20 cents (depending on the product) to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. I explained to him what breast cancer was, that it can take moms away from their sons, and that by entering the codes, we could help some of them. We entered 16 codes, then I asked him to calculate how much of a donation that would make. His eyes went wide when we finished and I told him that he’d just helped some boys not lose their moms to breast cancer. Whoever says kids can’t be motivated by a feeling of “involvement”?

And whoever said kids can’t be motivated by self-interest either? We should not discount that reason when trying to motivate our kids to give because, while it may not be the noblest of motives, it still prompts a good share of the gifts with which many noble things are done in today’s nonprofit world. For adults, this means giving so that a plaque can be put up in their honor, or so that they can claim a good tax deduction. For kids, this means giving (with sums that, while not as large, are clung to just as tightly as adults) for that plaque on the fridge, or the candy they’re offered afterwards. So, to the parent that wonders how to motivate their kids to give, I say: think about what motivates you to give of your money or time, or what would motivate you if you had lots of money, and just translate it to their level. Research says that’s okay.

What steps do you take to make sure your children understand the importance of giving back?

Photos courtesy of Keerati and David Castillo Dominici.

Putting together a book of thankful thoughts is not only a fun project for the kids, but gets them in the spirit of gratitude!

As I look back at the these little treasures we have made over the years, I am grateful for the opportunity I have had to teach my children. I want my kids to recognize their blessings not only in November, but each and every day.

This is a simple project that can be done as a family. Save your books and read them before you eat your meal on Thanksgiving day.

Thankful Hands Handmade Project

Supplies:

• 2 pieces of brown paper for outside cover
• 8-10 pieces of colored construction paper for inside pages
• 2 pieces of ribbon about 6 inches long that match your colored construction paper
• Markers to decorate your hand pages
• Hole punch
• Acrylic paint (optional if you want to put hand prints on the outside cover)

Directions:

1.) Trace out an over sided hand in brown construction paper. Decorate the front of your book. Make sure you put the date on your cover.

2.) Trace out 8-10 hands in different colored papers. These hands will be a little smaller than the cover so you don’t see them when it is assembled. Have your kids write down the things they are thankful for on each hand and if they want, they can add pictures. The year we created this book the kids wanted to put their hand prints on the cover. You can do this by brushing your hand with acrylic paint and carefully pressing your hand on the outside cover. Let it dry before adding another hand print.

3.) Put all your hands together and make two holes in your book with a hole punch. Tie the book together with the pieces of cut ribbon. You are finished. Enjoy your book during this month and for years to come.

What are you thankful for? What are ways that you and your family can focus on your blessings this holiday season?