Adventures in Parenting

(This post was posted last week, then accidentally deleted. So happy I recovered it!)

In my Sunday School class, a 9-year-old boy saw my iPhone and excitedly told me that he was going to get one next week. *Jaw drops* A 9-year-old gets an expensive iPhone?

“I got $200 from my grandma,” he said. I know this kid’s family is rich, and he has all the latest gadgets.

Then I asked him, “How much of your $200 do you want to give as an offering to God?” His jaw dropped!

When your children are given money, whether it was a gift, an allowance, or earned, how do you encourage your children to give a portion of that to a charity?

Generosity

With my children, money they receive always goes into savings. But before we put it away, I ask them to take some out to give as an offering to God. I try to teach them that it’s a special blessing and God’s generosity to us when we have money, so we can also be generous to give it away. I don’t specify how much they are to give. There is no required percentage as it should come from their heart.

It turns out that children are inevitably more generous than I would be! They often give half of it as an offering.

To be honest, I’ve been tempted to say, “Well, honey, the standard amount is 10%. Maybe you ought to give less and save more. Aren’t you saving up for that new bike?” Woah! Do I dare squash the innocence of my children and teach them to be selfish and self-serving instead??

I am Learning to be Generous

Out of the mouth of babes, I learned a lesson from my children. In their innocence, money doesn’t mean much to them. They don’t worry about the next meal, or paying for car insurance, or adding to their IRA. Yet, isn’t that what God tells us too? Didn’t Jesus tell us not to worry? And isn’t life more than money?

I’ve mentioned about Tom Hsieh and the modest lifestyle he chose to live. While making six figures a year, he lives on $38,000 and gives away the rest. What he said about this made a lot of sense:  “Some think too much of us [him, his wife and daughter] and think we’re saving people’s lives. But doing this giving—putting time as well as money into Servant Partners and Pomona Hope– has saved my life. I could easily have lived a life that was boring and inconsequential. Now I am graced with a life of service and meaning.” (emphasis mine)

Let’s not live boring and inconsequential lives! So I continue to encourage my children – and the Sunday School students – to give generously, and each time I thank God that my children are setting an example to me.