Foster Children’s Interests
As a young child – age 10 or 11 – I became aware of a non-profit that was working to prevent animal vivisection, which is the practice of testing animals in laboratories. I decided, right then and there, that I wanted to help this cause. I was getting an allowance from my parents for doing chores around the house; it wasn’t much, maybe three dollars a week, but I decided that I wanted to donate some of my earnings to this nonprofit. And that was the beginning of my ongoing dedication to humane animal causes for the past fifty years.
Children are never too young to care about others. Teaching children to be kind and loving to others is a value that they will carry through their lives. In my case, my parents and grandmothers supported my values and even gave me a little extra money to put toward this cause.
Start Teaching Them Early
I realize that not everyone has extra money available to support nonprofit causes, but providing support does not always have to be monetary. Children can be great advocates of a cause by recording a video for the charity of their choice. We’ve all seen commercials that feature kids and they are very impactful. Consider allowing your children to participate in meaningful ways to help others less fortunate through their involvement.
The Values We Learn Early on Stay with Us
I believe the values that we learn as children form the basis of our personalities. Having positive role models provides a pattern of behavior that we carry through our lives. I have wonderful memories of my grandfather’s kindness toward me, taking me shopping with him to purchase fruit and vegetables and pastries from the Jewish bakeries on Water Street in Worcester, Massachusetts. I have many fond memories of Ledermans, Widoff’s Bakery and the Broadway Deli to this day. In fact, I made a point of having lunch with a friend when I was back east on my recent trip in April of this year.
Remembering beautiful loving memories of those who brought us up and who gave of their time is key to the way we look at our past. When I wrote my family’s memoirs, it brought up a great deal of memories, long forgotten, of family dinners on Friday nights at my grandmother’s house on Longfellow Road in Worcester and of the elaborate lunches she prepared for my brother and I every Friday when we walked to her home from Midland Street School for lunch. I feel very grateful that I had such a warm and loving grandmother who taught me right from wrong and was always looking out for me.
Children Can Be the Most Active Supporters of Charities
Giving children a role to play in supporting causes that they care about helps them build self-esteem. For me, it was a chance to do something that mattered – to improve the lives of animals and to support legislature that created stricter controls over the animal testing industry. It made me feel like I had a voice, even though I was just a little kid.
While I was working as a writer for public relations firms, we often looked for ways to create ads and campaigns that would resonate with our viewers and generate an emotional response. As such, kids and animals were often a part of our campaigns. They delivered messages that hit you right in your heart and which were honest and meaningful.
So parents, teachers, neighbors and community members: if you interact with children, adolescents or teens, be kind and set positive examples for them to follow. Realize that you may be the best role model for them today, and by serving in that capacity, however long your interaction, you may be the person who sets them on the path to “doing good” in this world.
If you would like to explore writing blogs about your own industry, please reach out to me. Our messaging on social media and on our website tells your readers who you are and that may make the difference between you and your competitors.