Lists of presents filling the page front to back, hundreds of dollars spent on gifts, a warm holiday dinner, presents too plentiful to fit under the tree – these are occurrences that the average American family may be accustomed to during the holiday season.  In the midst of it all, we often forget about the millions of families to which these blessings are not guaranteed. How can we teach our kids about the importance and relevance of giving back and the countless ways to do so this holiday season?

OKVA student delivering 1095 holiday cards to the local Red Cross to send to the troops.

The Importance of Giving Back

1. Explain to your children that not every family has the luxury of purchasing and receiving gifts or having a warm meal during the holiday season. A great way to convey the importance of holiday giving to younger kids is with books such as The Berenstain Bears and the Joy of Giving by Jan and Michael Berenstain, and Angel Pig and the Hidden Christmas by Jan Waldron and David McPhail.

Ana Dodson & Peruvian Hearts: How Your Kid Can Fight Against Poverty

Sometimes, all it takes to strike a chord with a child is to simply hear about what other children their age are accomplishing. When it comes to these inspirational kids making a difference in our world, there are no shortages of examples to share with your own children. One of these persons is Ana Dodson who founded the charity, Peruvian Hearts.

Adopted from Cusco, Peru when she was just 3 years old, Ana moved to Colorado with her adoptive parents. Filled with curiosity about her background and Peru, her parents finally allowed her to make the trip to Peru in 2003 when she was 11 years old. During her visit, Ana was intensely moved by the extreme poverty of some of the children of Peru, particularly those in the orphanages. Realizing that their fate could have just as easily been hers, Ana immediately made the choice to do all that she could to help them.

Ana initially began collecting teddy bears and books to give to the children of Peru, which later progressed to collecting school supplies, and finally grassroots fundraising leading to the birth of Peruvian Hearts in 2003. Today the mission of Peruvian Hearts is to transform the lives of Peruvian orphans and children living in poverty through improved education, proper nutrition and health care, and to raise awareness amongst youth about poverty and the overall importance of service.

Kids: bouncing off the walls, constantly on the go, seemingly always on overdrive. The energy of kids is a resource oft not tapped into, particularly in the realm of service-learning and giving back to the community. Where, you ask, can your child find the inspiration and support to start or continue their journey in service? Here at K¹², there are courses and clubs offered to teach your kid more about service and inspire them to start their own projects!

Here are some courses for your consideration: