It’s no secret that a lot of us struggle with clutter in our own homes, and when we have children, the clutter can be never-ending. With constant purchases and gifts of toys or clothes, the piles of things can quickly become overwhelming, stealing space from you and your family. And while it’s important to declutter, it’s also important to give, and so donating clothes and toys is an important action to take. Decluttering is the perfect opportunity to teach children about charity, and if they see you as a role model, the process of donating clothes becomes even easier.
Have your child identify clothes that they haven’t worn in a long time. Your child may have difficulty identifying these clothes if they know that they’ll never see them again, but this is why it’s important that they see you donate your own clothes. Turning the activity into a game can also be helpful, but it’s important that they understand why they are donating clothes in the first place.
Discuss possible recipients with your child. Maybe you know a family who is struggling financially, or maybe a nearby city has recently experienced a natural disaster. Whatever the case may be, it’s crucial to discuss the potential recipients with them. Whether you choose to donate to Goodwill or to a mosque, if a child knows where their clothes are going and who they’ll help, the idea of charity becomes more real to them and they can feel happy about their donations helping people.
But perhaps the most important thing is that you don’t do all the work for them. If you go through their things and donate them without telling them, they’ll never learn how meaningful charity can be. If they do find out that you’ve gotten rid of their things without them, they may feel a sense of betrayal, and miss out on a chance to learn about empathy.
