A few weeks ago, a colleague rushed into our meeting, apologizing for the casual appearance. School had been out for two days, and the carefully crafted “summer plan” was quickly unraveling. A parent powwow was already scheduled that evening.
Summer often arrives in a blaze of excitement and then quickly melts into organized chaos as parents scramble to fill long, unstructured days. Camps, Vacation Bible school, trips to the water park, grandparent trips and on and on. It can all become a blur.
Depending on when you read this post, you may already be counting down the days until school starts again and wondering where summer went.
Before the calendar fills with back-to-school shopping and last-minute adventures, consider setting aside time for one more summer tradition.
A new summer equation: time together + giving back
When a family joins together in a shared experience, everyone benefits. Research suggests that children around age 10 and older benefit from participating in acts of kindness, building confidence while learning about issues that matter to them.
The bonus from giving together is a shared experience that plants the seeds of lifelong generosity. Several years ago, I suggested some tips for cultivating a philanthropic spirit over the summertime.
Here are three of my favorites you can weave into your family’s summer before it slips away.
- Look for vacation experiences that include time for your children to do for others. If you’ve already had the experience, plan a memory evening and celebrate what they learned. Start planning next year’s generosity vacation.
- Do a Family Giveback Weekend or weeklong generosity trip. Help a family member or older church member with painting, minor home repair, or a cleanup project. Encourage your children invite a friend to join in, then celebrate the experience together and start planning next year’s generosity tradition.
- Or maybe give older children a small budget and let them plan their own summer generosity project to give back. Encourage your children to invite a friend and family members in the project.
Turn screen time into giving time
The house is awash in sibling squabbles, endless questions, and cries of boredom. It feels more like a zoo than a home.
The instant relief of handing over screens often comes with a twinge of guilt. The nagging voice reminds us what we already know: screen time crowds out creativity, physical activity, family connection, and opportunities to learn and serve others.
Eliminating screens is not the answer. Instead, make some screen time intentional.
Here are five ways to turn digital time into giving time:
- Research a cause together on the internet. Let your child pick a topic they care about – animals, children in need, the environment – something they’re interested in – and spend 15 minutes learning about organizations making a difference.
- Browse local nonprofits online and let each family member nominate one organization to support with time, donations, or supplies.
- Research volunteer opportunities. Challenge kids to find a family-friendly volunteer project and present it to the family for consideration.
- Use holidays and theme days as an excuse to celebrate generosity Whether it’s International Joke Day, World Chocolate Day, National Dog Day, or a back-to-school party, let kids design invitations and ask guests to bring canned goods, school supplies, or pet food instead of gifts.
- Make a digital generosity jar tracker. Older kids can design charts to track acts of kindness, volunteer hours, or money saved to donate to a chosen cause.
Your generosity event plans should change each year as your children grow and mature in their generosity journey.
And grandparents don’t sit this one out. Summer visits are the perfect time to model generosity and create meaningful traditions. Children make a habit of watching all the adults in their lives, so don’t miss the chance to be on the generosity train with them.
The secret ingredient: conversation
Experiences stick when you make time for discussion. The right words are less important than what happens when a child has a chance to talk about how they feel.
Maya Angelou famously observed, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Philanthropy worth doing is worth learning to do with family!
Teaching generosity is not about adding one more obligation to an already packed summer schedule. It’s about transforming ordinary moments into lasting memories and helping children discover the joy of serving others. Parenting may be challenging, but watching a child choose kindness, lend a hand, or give with a cheerful heart is one of its greatest rewards.
Years from now, your children probably won’t remember every camp they attended or every movie they watched—but they’ll remember the summer your family discovered the joy of helping someone else.
So before summer fades into another school year, ask yourself one simple question: What generosity memory can our family create before the season ends?
Read it. Share it. Pass it on.
If you have a question or a topic you would like to see explored in future posts, please reach out to me.
The Gift of Giving by Dawn Franks is a practical, inspiring guide to living with purpose through generosity. Filled with real-world wisdom, it encourages readers to make a meaningful difference and leave a lasting legacy. Click to learn more about The Gift of Giving.
Website: www.dawnfranks.com
Email: dawn@dawnfranks.com
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