It’s never too early to teach children how to give, said Robbie McKinnon, Pike County extension agent.

“Start when the kids are small or just start now if you think you’ve missed the opportunity earlier in their lives,” she said.

Service and giving can have many different recipients: family, friends, pets, neighbors, community, etc. Start by teaching your children to give to those people right around you. Showing appreciation for the people around your children can teach the importance of valuing them.

Let your child know that he doesn’t need money to give. Help them make gift certificates that he can give to others in the family.Gift certificates can be for breakfast in bed for a teenage sibling or sweeping out the garage for Dad.

“Baking cookies is a good start,” McKinnon said. “Young children need help learning to share, so bake a large batch of cookies so that there are plenty to eat and plenty to share.”

Another option is Locks of Love. “Children learn to give by growing their hair and donating it to Locks of Love, a non-profit organization that provides hairpieces for children with long-term medical hair loss,” she said.

Gather small-size toiletries, such as toothpaste and shampoo, and pack them in decorated gift bags

News, Pages 2 on 01/27/2010