This past week, I had the chance to work with homeless moms and dads whose kids go to school at the Vogel Alcove in Dallas. I worked in the holiday store where we were able to give free Christmas gifts to the parents for the kids.

At this school, smiling toddlers run around and laugh, making crafts and painting beautiful cards in the classroom. Only the crafts they make in school are for a cause, sold to help families get back on their feet.

Watching people on the street is always heart wrenching, but at Christmas it seems to be magnified. A young homeless mother shopping for her five year-old is no different than you or I. She loves her kids, and knows exactly what they like or dislike. She passed over the robot for the football and chose the toy truck over the puzzle. She picked out two black knit hats, opting to buy the same thing for both kids, instead of choosing from a variety of different colors. “That way,” she said, “they won’t fight over it.”

A staff member had instructed me to take no more than 15 minutes to let the parent shop. I led her around the store and we filled a giant bag with toys. I waited patiently as the mother tried to decide on several pairs of socks. It was her child, after all, and one of the few things she felt she had control over.

I try to remember that it’s the human connection that matters. Getting a homeless person off the street isn’t about things. It’s about words, inspiration, and letting them know their life has purpose.

The statistics are alarming. In Oklahoma, the average age of a homeless person is nine. Positive Tomorrows is a school for homeless children that also provides help for the parents, in the form of adult life skills classes for the parents.

In Chicago, thousands of homeless kids are enrolled in public schools. They don’t have a place to shower, sleep, or eat after school. For many, lunch in the school cafeteria is their only meal of the day.

In Romania, I saw the street kids first hand. The civilians call them gypsies.

The homeless world has their own culture. Restoration requires teamwork and baby steps. When I teach writers workshops through The Homeless Project program in Dallas I ask them to journal about their life and any negative past events, misted of acting out in rage, anger, or other destructive habits. Be pulled forward by your dreams, instead of pulled back by your past. Civilians think that homelessness is about economics, and most want to try to solve financial problems.

I tried to explain this to a girl who insisted to me that homelessness was about the job market. Jobs might be hard to find in some areas, but homelessness is definitely more emotional than financial. There are limiting beliefs, emotional events, tragedies, and personal issues that keep people from succeeding.

And it’s the same way for those of us with homes. When we can look forward to our dreams, instead of dwelling on the past, there’s freedom.

This year, if you feel led to help, you can reach out by giving your time, love, and inspiration. For more information on volunteering at a homeless school, visit: Positive Tomorrows Oklahoma, Open Air Ministries, or The Vogel Alcove on the web.

How do you help the homeless? What will you do this year to help those in need?

Photo courtesy of Flickr.

Tammy Kling is a life coach, advocate for the homeless, and international author of books including The Compass. Tammy is also the founder of Write it Out, an organization that helps the homeless transform by journaling goals, hopes & dreams via writers workshops, free journals and books. Tammy loves being a mom to two awesome boys, and is also an avid trail and mountain runner, and corporate 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?

As I was looking through my board, I questioned why I always wait until December to give out neighbor gifts. Wouldn’t Thanksgiving be the perfect time to start?

So this year, we are making a few neighbor gifts in November to get into the giving spirit a bit earlier.

We identified a few families who really mean a lot to us and that we want to thank for being a part of our lives. We found this fun recipe in Family Fun Magazine and spent the afternoon baking, talking all the while about who we would deliver the treats to, why they were important to us, and why we were grateful to have them in our lives.

Making them was a whole family affair. The kids cut them out, using an awesome Wilton leaf cookie cutter I found on sale at Michael’s.

Next, they buttered the edges.

Then, they added a variety of fillings, including cut up Reese’s peanut butter cups, Nutella, and strawberry jam with cream cheese.

The end result was both delicious and an awesome way to help my kids learn about gratitude while having fun in the kitchen.

How do you help your kids get in the giving spirit? What do you do during the month of Thanksgiving to help them have an attitude of gratitude?

Involving the Family

When teaching children to give graciously, it’s important to involve the entire family. If the whole family is learning how to give, a support system can develop and everyone will feel part of the process. Plus, it will make giving even more fun as family members pitch in and help.

The following are a few ways to involve the entire family in the gift-giving process:

1. At the dinner table, chat with your family about upcoming gifts or friends that might deserve a random act of kindness. Approach the process with the desire to help and teach and engage. Teaching children to really think about “who” we are giving to more than “what” we are giving is so important. When we focus on the “who” the “what” is so much easier to figure out!
2. Take your children on an outing or two. Before entering the store, remind them that this trip is about those we love and our attention shouldn’t be on what we want but on what will make others feel loved and appreciated. (Yes, this means that even if you are tempted by a beautiful hand-knit scarf that complements your favorite sweater perfectly, you go back later or not at all.) Self-control is a good habit for all of us to learn. Once you select a gift, let your child carry it to the register. When you get home, let your children help you wrap the gift or tie the ribbon. This helps them feel part of the process.

Giving the Gift of Gratitude

Although the holidays or special occasions present excellent opportunities for children to engage in the gift-giving process, we must take time to sit down with our children before the holiday or birthday to teach them how to be gracious—before they approach their pile of gifts like a vulture ravaging its lunch. Take it from me: it’s an unattractive sight!

The following are tips on how to engage children in the gift-giving process:

1. Talk with your children often about ways they can acknowledge gifts.
2. Stage a dress rehearsal. Have them find their favorite toy and wrap it up, then have them practice giving you a gift. Show them how to graciously open it, then have them follow your example. Gifts they love and gifts they don’t.  After all it’s easy to be excited, it’s not as easy to mask disappointment.
3. Don’t postpone writing a thank-you: the evening or the day after the gift is received is the best time. Although these times tend to be the busiest and our children are tired, it is very important to set the standard from the top. We make time for what is important and our children know this. Thank-yous, although daunting, are very important. Make it fun. Pour a cup of tea or juice, sit down together, and put the finishing touches on the goodness of giving and the importance of a gracious spirit.

How do you teach your children to be more giving? How do you involve them in the gift-giving process?

Founder of Mindy Lockard’s Gracious Living which includes a daily blog. TheGraciousGirl.net, and trainings for colleges/universities, government agencies, and private companies. Mindy is a freelance contributor for FOX 12 Oregon, Crane & Co’s The Crane Insider, Stationery Trends magazine’s column “What’s Write” and many other web and print publications. Contact Mindy: www.MindyLockard.com twitter: TheGraciousGirl facebook: TheGraciousGirl.

Is there a special friend in your life who has been there for you through thick and thin?  Do you want to find a way to let her know how much her friendship means?  When a simple “thank you” doesn’t quite seem big enough, here are some gracious ways to show your friend how much she means:

1.    Put It in Writing

You might not think that saying “thank you” is enough, but putting your words in writing may be quite meaningful, indeed.  I’m not talking about a Facebook post or e-mail (though those never hurt), but rather a good, old-fashioned, pen-to-paper handwritten note.  Why not include a box of lovely stationery as a small gift to accompany your heartfelt expression of gratitude for your friend?

2.    Create IOU’s

If there is one thing most Mama-friends have in common, it is a scarcity of time!  Rather than pick out a pricey gift that might just duplicate something she already has, why not consider a gift that speaks to what she really needs: a few extra moments.  Give her an IOU for free babysitting while she enjoys time with her spouse, bring her a few meals that she can pull out of the freezer at any time, or offer to run her errands for a week.

3.     Spend Time Together

If not saving her time, how about the gift of spending time together?  If your friend loves the outdoors, why not scope out a spot for a good hike or bicycle ride?  If she’s a girly girlfriend, how about planning for a mani/pedi Mom’s Night Out?  Spending time together doing enjoyable things is one of the best ways to show someone how much they mean to you.

4.     Help Others Spend Time Alone

Moms always talk about the value of spending time with loved ones, but what so many of us really want is a few precious moments alone.  To show your friend how grateful you are, consider picking out a special book that she has been dying to read (then hanging out with her kids while she reads it!).  A movie buff might love the gift of a Netflix subscription.  On demand, she can pick out her very own movie and spend some time in her own world, enjoying it.  You pop the popcorn (extra butter!) and take the kids to your house while she indulges in the flick.

Psychologists have studied Happiness and discovered that GIVING is one of the key principles that makes people happy and drives out stress, anxiety, and depression.

So, how can we raise GIVING kids in a ME generation? I believe it starts out with us as parents. I thought about how my parents raised my siblings and me to think of others and to feel what others go through during tough times. We grew up with very little yet my parents gave of whatever time, money, or resources that they had to help others.

When my family came to America as refugees from Vietnam, we arrived in a small town of Beloit, Wisconsin with a cardboard box with belongings that we managed to collect during the journey.

My parents were so grateful for the opportunity to live in America that they wanted to help other refugees just like us. With broken English and the little amount of money they earned weekly at their factory jobs, they started taking in Vietnamese refugees who arrived in our town without a place to live.

The new refugees were clothed, fed and taught how to drive, and find employment where they worked to saved up enough to be on their own. I watched people come and go during these years. This continued for most of the years I lived at home.

I watched my father serve and give. He was honored in 1984 as Volunteer of the Year by the community with an awards dinner. He was truly an example to my siblings and me.

I wanted to raise my children to be givers and not takers in life. I wanted to carry on the legacy that my father instilled in my siblings and me. “Life is to give and not to take.” My father would also say, “These are seeds for your future.” He believed in the principles of giving will be reaped in the next generation.

He was right. I watched, observed, and I followed. If there’s anything that I resemble of my father-it’s compassion for others and I’m proud to have that trait.

When my husband and I had our first child, we taught her early on to be a giver. Starting with simple lessons; instead of fighting over the same toy, give it to the other child. This taught her to put others first.

As she got older, it got to the point where she would want to give EVERYTHING she owned to all of her friends; presents that she received from relatives were cheerfully given away without parental approval. She learned the art of being a cheerful giver at a young age. We eventually explained that it’s a beautiful thing to GIVE but balance is good too.

When our sons were born and the kids were older, we got involved in the Angel Tree program at Christmas. The Angel Tree program connects parents in prison with their children through the delivery of Christmas gifts.

We picked out the gifts, wrapped them with the child name and signed them from their parents who were in prison and personally delivered the gifts to their homes.

I always looked forward to hearing how they felt after delivering the gifts to these children and often times they expressed how sad they felt seeing the living conditions. But how blessed they felt to be able to give and put a smile on another child’s face who was less fortunate.

Participating giving opportunity allowed our kids to see what others go through and made them more compassionate people. I believe this principle will be passed from one generation to the next as long as we make GIVING a lifestyle.

What tips do you have for raising giving children?

10 Tips to Green Living

Here are 10 bite-size ideas:

1. Take a shorter shower (i.e., two minutes) to save water.
2. Hit the salad bar of your local supermarket instead of buying a full bushel of spinach or lettuce, if you often end up with veggie leftovers. This will reduce waste.
3. Eat out one less time this week, to reduce carbon emissions and increase your health and family time.
4. Use slow-release, organic fertilizers on your yard to decrease the amount of polluted rainwater runoff in surface drinking water supplies. Visit RiverKeeper.org for more info.
5. Put a re-used plastic grocery bag in your car for garbage so that it doesn’t end up as litter, and so that you can use less energy when you clean your car!
6. Go to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Directory of Farmers’ Markets to find the farmers’ market nearest you, then visit it. You get fresher, locally-grown food, which means energy did not have to be used to transport it cross-country.
7. Contact your state Senators, if you live in the U.S., and ask them to designate Clean Water Act penalties, paid for by BP, towards Gulf recovery and restoration. Do this before the end of the lame duck congressional session to ensure that the Senate actually acts on it. Visit the National Audubon Society’s Action Center for more info.
8. Send your state or provincial elected representatives a brief email or letter to encourage pursuit of more renewable energy policies. Go to AllianceforRenewableEnergy for more information and a sample letter.
9. Visit the website of the Earth Conservation Corps (ECC), a nonprofit aimed at reclaiming two of America’s most endangered resources — our youth and our environment.
10. Go to EcoPerk’s Carbon Calculator and figure out your family’s carbon footprint, learn about ways to offset it, and earn EcoPoints currency.

How Will You Give to Others This Week?

• What other ideas do you have for giving to others by going green?
• How has going green made a meaningful difference for you this week?
• How have others given to you this week and what difference has that made in your life?

How Else Can You Make a Difference This Season?

Make a meaningful difference this season by taking the Season of Service (SOS) Challenge. Here’s how you can participate:

• Commit to do one act of kindness/service based on the week’s challenge.
• Leave a comment with ideas relating to the week’s challenge as well as your experience(s) performing it.
• Enter to win each week’s giveaway. Check out this week’s prizes from Seventh Generation by clicking here.
• Join #gno this Tuesday on Twitter to connect with other Mom It Forward moms about the challenge.

Tips to Serving Others in Foreign Countries

There are so many possibilities. Here are some ideas:

• Read 31 Ways to Change the World by 4,386 Children, produced by Nick Stanhope, with your kids.
• Buy a $16 pineapple bowl at Heart of Haiti.com to help a Haitian artist and his or her family get back on their feet.
• Help fight illegal child labor, torture, summary executions, enforced disappearances, and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment by going to the World Organization Against Torture and taking a few minutes to write a government official to demand change.
• Read a book online for We Give Books and help donate 20,000 new Tinga Tinga Tales books to children in East Africa.
• Buy a calendar from the Central Asia Institute, which builds and supports schools for girls in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
• Take a spelling test at FreeRice.com. For each answer you get right, they donate 10 grains of rice to the United Nations World Food Program.
• Sign up for the Mothers2Mothers newsletter to increase your awareness of efforts to provide education and support for pregnant women and new mothers living with HIV/AIDS in Africa.
• Make a $5 donation to Vital Voices Global Partnership, which is a non-governmental organization that identifies, trains and empowers emerging women leaders and social entrepreneurs around the globe, enabling them to create a better world for everyone.
• Check out Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World by Bill Clinton from your local library and read it.
• “Like,” in Facebook, the Working Women’s Forum, which empowers poor women in southern India by providing microcredits, a trade union, health care and training.

How Will You Give to Others This Week?

• What other ideas do you have for giving to others in foreign countries?
• How has giving to others made a meaningful difference for you this week?
• How have others given to you this week and what difference has that made in your life?

How Else Can You Make a Difference This Season?

Make a meaningful difference this season by taking the Season of Service (SOS) Challenge. Here’s how you can participate:

• Commit to do one act of kindness/service based on the week’s challenge.
• Leave a comment with ideas relating to the week’s challenge as well as your experience(s) performing it.
• Enter to win each week’s giveaway. Check out this week’s prizes from Heart of Haiti by clicking here.
• Join #gno this Tuesday on Twitter to connect with other Mom It Forward moms about the challenge.

What’s not to like about this program? It harnesses the power of girlfriends, for one thing! Trop50′s new ad campaign, in fact, features Jane Krakowski (of TV’s 30 Rock) with her girlfriends, dishing about live, love, and looking good. This Facebook initiative builds on the campaign’s theme of girlfriends helping each other to feel and look good, and all it requires is that we reach out to each other online, something most of us do frequently anyways. It’s a win-win-win:

• We get a means to help our girlfriends feel good,
• Tropicana gets the word out about their new juices, which, because they contain 50% less sugar and calories and a full day’s supply of vitamin C and antioxidant vitamin E, also help people feel good, and
• Most importantly, low-income women get the means to break themselves out of the poverty cycle.

Dress for Success Worldwide is the incredible organization that makes that last one happen. The organization’s mission is to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. It serves clients from a continually expanding and diverse group of non-profit and government agencies including homeless shelters, immigration services, job training programs, educational institutions and domestic violence shelters, among others. They come by referral and have an interview scheduled before receiving clothing. Each year, Dress for Success reaches more than 50,000 women worldwide each year. They get women looking good so that they and their children can feel good too.

In addition, Trop50 will also donate $10 to Dress for Success Worldwide, up to $50,000, for each wish expressed by a woman who visits the Facebook page and submits a wish for a chance to win $1,000 to make your friend’s wish come true.  They’ll be granting 50 fabulous wishes. Visit this page for more information. Also, Mom It Forward will host a weekly giveaway and a Twitter #gno party next Monday, January 10th on inner and outer beauty.