In today’s installment in the series about Teaching Children about Gratitude and Giving, my sister Amy tells us her Family's Giving Story.
Amy lives in the San Francisco Bay Area
Her Family: I am married with a 3 and a half year old daughter.
Professional Background: I have a B.A. in History.
What She’s Up to Right Now: I have been working as a Litigation Paralegal for over 14 years and I co-own a construction business with my husband.
Her Favorite Book of the Moment: Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed
Q&A
Q: Can you share with us about a time when your family received a gift of support during a time of difficulty?
A: When our daughter was born, my husband and I were blessed to have family close by that provided us with so much support and assistance. I had a difficult time the last few months of my pregnancy and I sustained some injuries from my delivery, in addition to experiencing post-partum depression and anxiety. My mother-in-law took night shifts at our home the first couple of weeks after bringing our daughter home from the hospital. She would arrive at our home around 8:00pm and stay until around 7:00am the next morning. I was able to sleep the entire night so that I could get rest and recuperate, while my husband and mother-in-law took turns waking up with the baby to feed, burp and change her. My mother-in-law would also take a load of laundry home with her and bring it back the next night! When she initially offered this assistance to us prior to our daughter being born, we graciously declined and thought it wasn’t necessary for her to give up her nights to stay with us. Boy, were we wrong! We also received priceless support and help from my mom and my sister. They would take turns doing day shifts at our home and would help with feedings, changing diapers, bath time, grocery shopping, laundry, etc. The emotional support I received from my sister meant so much to me! We also had family and neighbors who brought prepared meals so that we didn’t have to worry about cooking every night. The love and support we received was immense and invaluable!
Q: What techniques do you use or plan to use to help your child understand the concept of giving and why it is important?
A: As our daughter gets older, my husband and I are thinking more and more about ways to teach her gratitude, resilience, the importance of hard work, and helping people in need. We are blessed in so many ways, and we work hard to maintain a secure, healthy, and comfortable life for our family. We want her to understand the importance of giving back to our own community, as well as helping people who are struggling in other parts of the world.
For our daughter’s second and third birthdays, we asked for charitable donations in lieu of gifts. While she was too young at those times to understand or even know that donations were made in her honor, it was important to my husband and I that others in need received the donations rather than our daughter receiving more toys and clothes when she was already blessed with so much. For her third birthday, in lieu of a gift, one of my friends gave money to a GoFundMe.com fundraiser for the family of one of our daughter’s teachers, Teacher Yvonne, who lost her young life to a brain aneurysm leaving behind a husband and two young daughters. This gift meant so much to me, and to our daughter in the long run.
One way we plan on including our daughter in giving during the holiday season is to select toys or other needed items to be donated to local organizations. One example is Ronald McDonald House at Stanford, which has a “Wish List” of specific items that the House needs throughout the year. We can review the list with her, go to a store to select and purchase an item, and then deliver it to the House together. Another way is to select a tag from a “giving tree” at a Church or shopping center, and another is to donate non-perishable food to Second Harvest Food Bank by dropping our donation in a collection bin at our local grocery store. Second Harvest Food Bank always needs donations, so purchasing food to donate while doing our own personal grocery shopping is a great way to include our daughter in giving back to our community all year long. We have also recently started sponsoring a young girl through World Vision, who was born on the same day as our daughter and lives in Tanzania. We will be making a monthly donation to support the development of the girl’s community, and we will be able to write her letters, send photos, and receive letters and progress reports.
Q: How does your family give throughout the year and during the holiday season in particular?
A: Since I was a young adult, I have always felt compelled to donate money or volunteer my time to many organizations like AIDS Walk San Francisco, Second Harvest Food Bank, Ronald McDonald House, The Samaritan House in San Mateo, Glide Memorial Church, and Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. I have been sponsoring a child through World Vision for the last 10 years. He is now 19 years old. My husband is also very charitable and willing to help anyone in need. While it is challenging to find the time to volunteer at this busy time in our lives, making donations of money or in-kind gifts is a priority for our family.
Thank you, Amy, for sharing your story! Sending you love and blessings!
(Photo courtesy of Amy)