Can You Teach Your Children Compassion?

GAH…My heart right here! 💗
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This little one has a heart unlike anything I have ever seen in such a small little one. Tears well up in my eyes when I think about her heart for others and bringing joy to those around her…it FAR outweighs bringing joy to herself…ever. She thrives on giving and seeing others be blessed.
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Tonight we talked and prayed for those who have childhood illnesses. We discussed why bad things happen to kids and how God plays a role in those things. For some reason, God laid it on my heart to talk to her about kids who have lost their hair and how that may make us feel if it happened to us. With tears in her eyes, she asked me how kids can get hair back after being sick. It broke my heart to tell her sometimes it never happens. The look on her face said it all…
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I pulled out YouTube and showed her a video of people who donate their hair for those who can’t grow their own. That’s all it took folks…
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She started jumping up and down on her bed squealing with delight. Here is how our convo went:

Me: Delise, please don’t jump on your bed.

Delise: MOMMMMM…..I WANT TO GIVE MY HAIR AWAY!!! (Giggling with delight and bouncing uncontrollably)

Me: I thought you wanted to grow your hair to your bottom?

Delise: I will…

Me: *confused*

Delise: MOM…I WILL GROW MY HAIR UNTIL CHRISTMAS AND THEN GIVE A CHILD THE BEST CHRISTMAS GIFT EVER…A WIG (made with my hair!!!)
Yeah…EEKK…That will bring them SOOOO MUCH JOY!!!

Me: I love your heart and wish I had 1/2 the heart for others that you do!

Delise: MOMMM…DO IT WITH ME!!!

Me: You got it girl!

Hair grows for most of us…why not bless those who aren’t as fortunate. I can’t think of a better way to spend some one-on-one time with this beautiful soul.

That being said, if your child doesn’t want to donate their hair to bring joy to another child, that is ok. It doesn’t mean s/he is incapable to compassion of others. The key is finding that thing they can bring to the table that will bless another human being…another soul. As a parent, I do feel it is our duty to teach our kids the importance of helping the less fortunate. Service projects are important such as feeding the poor, donating time and energy to helping others, cleaning up our parks, visiting nursing homes, random acts of kidness, etc. I try to instill in my kids the importance of paying it forward and treating others better than you would want to be treated.

I encourage you to show a giving heart to others so your child/ren can see that act of kindness and one day, mimic it themselves and spread the love to others.