B.M.W.B #27 – Growing Generosity
I really want to grow kids that are generous kids. I want our family to be based around a value system where we recognise our position in the world is one of privilege not right.
Source: lillightomine.com via mar on Pinterest
This week we started pocket-money – our boys have never heard of pocket-money but after doing the middle years course with Parents Inc we decided that we would like to introduce pocket-money. I want my children to be intelligent with their money and I want them to always, always factor giving into the way they live.
After talking together as a family the boys have decided to save together, and we will contribute too, for a big-ticket item. Then they both have 2 other jars – one labelled ‘Live’ and one labelled ‘Give’. We have prescribed how much they will put into each jar (about 15% into ‘Give’ and about 40% to ‘Save’ and 45% to ‘Live’). They can spend their ‘Live’ money on whatever they like. we will help them by identifying small items they want to save up for and once or twice a term I will do a ‘shop’ at home where they can spend as well.
They are SO excited about this new system. Each week at our awards night we will give them pocket-money in small change so they can easily split it between the jars. It also means they learn to handle and understand how money works and what you get for it. As they grow a bit they will be able to make more decisions about how to split their money between these 3 places but for as long as we can we will be teaching and modelling to them a giving lifestyle.
School holidays have begun! We have had a spontaneous invitation to Clip n Climb (a fantastic climbing gym for children) on Friday night. The boys are becoming SO confident at climbers and Flip even did the 8m vertical drop slide! Then on Saturday we went to the lantern festival as part of the opening of Kidsfest – a beautiful lantern lit walk through the Botanical Gardens followed by Flip’s first ever live rugby match and a very late night to go with it. I do love holidays!
We also went for a gorgeous walk up by the sign of the kiwi on Sunday afternoon. The views were spectacular and it was so nice to see the boys out in the cold wind exploring and enjoying. We went with a cousin and some lovely friends. I love that my boys are full of the wonder of the world.
Do you do pocket-money with your kids?
What are some ways you encourage generosity?
Don’t forget to enter my giveaway here!
Making A Difference
There is a great saying ‘Act as if what you do makes a difference, it does’ or something like that.
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about how much our lives, our decisions, our behaviours are linked to others – how in this tangled web of the ‘human family’ we do belong to each other and even more than that: who we are and how we live doesn’t just affect us it affects people who will come after us.
(or maybe I’ve just been watching too much Touch??)
On Tuesday the Unfolding Hope drive to raise money to free people caught in slavery finishes…. and how easy and convenient it would be to pat myself on the back because I did something for someone else and then go back to living however I want to/choose to without regard for others….
Sometimes it feels ‘too hard’ and ‘too exhausting’ to be intentional all.the.time, sometimes I get ‘compassion fatigue’…. and I can’t say I am intentional all the time (in the morning I’m down right selfish….you don’t want to know me before 8am) but if we profess to ‘love others’ with our mouths then maybe our actions might need to line up with that?
So what I’m asking myself and what I’m asking you is ‘how does my life make a difference in the world?’
I want to live my life generously, and I recognise to my shame I am so selfish – with my time, my finances, even in my friendships… I have a long way to go….. but my heart is open and I am willing to exercise this very short and weak generosity muscle and one day…. one day…. it will be strong.
If you would still like to donate to unfolding hope you can find out more about it
For those who have donated – money, promotion, time, goods for prizes, enthusiasm – my sincere, sincere thank you for helping me take another step on my generosity journey – you inspire me, I consider you my personal trainers.
Miriam x
