How do I show my son...?

Question

I want to show my 10 year old son that not every child has it as good as he does. I don't want him growing up taking things for granted and expecting everything. Any ideas how I could show how maybe less fortunate kids live or something to that affect? Thanks for your help!

Answer 1

When my DD is old enough I plan on taking her with me to do volunteer work.  Doesn't have to be anything major, stuffing fund raiser envelopes, cooking and dropping off food for homeless shelters, etc.

Answer 2

show him the pianist-i know its about the holocaust but it shows you that u can't take things for granted and you have only so much of something

Answer 3

You could volunteer with him to help at a local charity, soup kitchen or other event that he would be able to help others, and see that he is very fortunate.

I remember helping at soup kitchens that my aunt used to run once a month when I was around 12 or 13, and it was extremely eye opening.

Answer 4

Maybe let him watch movies that can teach him stuff like don't do bad things and stuff...

Answer 5

At 10 years they still hang onto your every word, so right now, just talk. He'll be exposed to the reality of our world and the suffering of those less fortunate soon enough. Teach him compassion through your own actions. It's amazing how much they pick up.

Answer 6

tel him about the third world and about abuse and kids who dont get presents at christmas

Answer 7

I cannot think of anything you can do specifically... to me that seems like one of those things people have to see first hand, if you were to try and "take" him somewhere you would probably get the same response as mothers who try to tell their kids to eat all their vegetables because people are starving in the world.

I like the idea of not giving him everything, holding him accountable for taking care of his things, and then waiting until he has a good friend who is not as fortunate so that he can see first hand just how lucky he has it.

Answer 8

That a tough one.  Just try not to spoil him, and try to explain it to him in a nice way.  Maybe show him some YouTube videos of under privalidged children.

Answer 9

Maybe you and he could volunteer together at a homeless shelter or soup kitchen.  Instead of making it into a pity party for the "less fortunate," though, maybe you could talk to him about how your family can use the things you're fortunate to have,such as good food, warm clothes, shelter, etc. to provide a slightly better life for the needy.  You could maybe also take him with you to volunteer in a children's oncology ward at a hospital, so he can have an opportunity to make some very sick children's days a little brighter.  Once again, though, be very careful not to make him pity the kids, because that is a sort of elitist attitude.  Instead, you want to teach him compassion and how he can use his life to better others'.

Answer 10

Depending on where you live there are local shelters that provide emergency kits of clothes and toys, and they almost always need volunteers to help them sort and pull stuff for the kids.

Good luck to you.

Answer 11

Yes, there are things you can do. My mother used to drive me around less fortunate neighborhoods to show me how other people live, and we used to watch TV shows about poverty in Africa, if you ever see shows like that you should watch them with your child.

Answer 12

Maybe see if there is some sort of peer program at a local after school club. Like the Brothers and Sisters group or something similar.

Answer 13

Make him work around the house for allowance in order to buy the things that he wants instead of you giving them or buy them for him.

Answer 14

i "adopted" a family years ago , a hard working mom and her 2 kids who really needed help but never asked ( i had her son in my 2nd grade class) and take them christmas and birthday gifts every year. i have my kids help wrap and deliver. i also clean their rooms every year when school starts and at the holidays and we save the clean old clothes and toys in good condition and give them to needy families.

Answer 15

Stop giving him everything he wants and make him WORK for them.

Answer 16

There's a thing where you send him on a weekend and they do stuff like that. It can be at the detention center or somewhere. idk. dont spoil him.

Answer 17

Make him understand like my father did to me when i was young, that if you want nice things in time your going to have too work for it. Also you may want to take your son through neighborhoods where children are living in poverty.

Answer 18

explain to him that some people dont have the things he has and that some kids dont get what he gets... maybe a YouTube video will help him understand