When a child reaches their tween and teenage years, they begin to gain more independence and to develop new or deeper interests.
Finding a cause that engages their interest helps to keep them in touch with the wider community and to encourage them to give back. It also enables them to learn and appreciate the many different ways in which a sum of money can be spent.
What types of causes?
When it comes to the type of cause your child can give back to, the choices are almost endless. The real key is finding something that they have a genuine enthusiasm for or connection to. It’s likely to be something different for each child. Some possibilities include:
- Helping at an animal shelter
- Raising money for medical research
- Giving time to a local sporting club
- Organising a toy, book, clothing, or cupcake drive for a charity of choice
There are plenty of other options, and you'll know better than anyone what might suit your child.
What type of involvement?
Just as there are plenty of causes, there are also plenty of ways your child can get involved. For example, they can:
- Donate money – donating money for a cause and seeing how it’s allocated helps kids to understand that small amounts of money can make a big difference for many people.
- Donate time – donating time can be more difficult than donating money. The benefit for your kids, though, is in meeting a whole range of people from different walks of life.
- Raise awareness – raising public awareness of a cause is a fantastic way for your child to develop their confidence and ability to communicate ideas with the wider community.
- Learn about community grants – learning about, and potentially helping parents to apply for, a community grant is a bit like taking on the challenge of a difficult school project, but with the added benefit of a real-life outcome.
What are the benefits?
Working for and towards a cause that your child is genuinely interested in can give them a wider world view, develop their social skills, increase their self-esteem and organisational skills, and hopefully help them to appreciate what they have in their own life.
In terms of your child's financial literacy, giving back to a cause also helps teach them some excellent lessons about the many ways in which a sum of money can be spent. These are all qualities that will help them to develop into mature, well-rounded adults.
