#998: Raising Generous Kids

Do your kids believe it is better to give than receive?Science shows that children are born with a “compassionate instinct.” They observed that infants help others even though they are too young to have learned this behavior. Their motivation doesn’t depend on the expectation of a reward.As parents and father figures, it is our job to encourage our children to be givers, not takers. Takers are selfish: They seek to be better than others. Givers are generous: They want to bring out the best in others.Here’s a tip from psychologist Adam Grant: Say “Thank you for being a helper” instead of “Thank you for helping.” Recognizing kids as “helpers” helps them to internalize giving as part of their identities.For information about raising your son into a godly man, visit Trail Life USA orRaisingGodlyBoys.com.