Parenting OC November 2009 : Page 29ACTS OF KINDNESS: 5 IDEAS FOR GIVING heryl Woodhouse, a licensed family and marriage therapist spe- cializing in child and adolescent issues, says that teaching chil- dren at a young age the meaning of generosity is beneficial for their development and growth. We’ve compiled five ways you and your child can live out acts of kindness while at the same time spending quality time together and more importantly, having fun. Wear your heart on your sleeve. Woodhouse says that getting involved with a local non-profit with your child is one way that parents can teach generosity. For example, Kids Konnected is a non-profit organization that supports children who have a parent with cancer or have lost a parent from cancer. The organi- zation, based in Laguna Hills, is always looking for volunteers. You and your child can donate your time through fundraising events or providing food for fam- ily events, like Thanksgiving. It’s also a great way for children to help others just like them. For more information visit chil- drenkonnected.org or call (949) 582-5443. Get your hands dirty. Grab the sunscreen and sand pail—join with a local organization like Save Our Beaches to aid in keeping our coast- lines trash-free while enjoying the outdoors. Save Our Beaches, a non- profit organization in Seal Beach, holds beach clean ups one Saturday S per month from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the 1st Street Beach Lot in Seal Beach. It would only be an hour or two of your time and would make a huge difference. For more information and a list of scheduled clean ups, visit saveourbeach.org or call (562) 884-6764. Give Thanksgiving. Participate in a local food drive that helps to feed Orange County’s families and children. The Raise Foundation, in Santa Ana, holds an annual Thanksgiving food drive that will run until Nov. 21. Each participant will be given a box to collect donations and a flyer that can be used for promotion. For more information visit theraisefounda- tion.org or call (949)-955-1578. Bake something sugary. We know they’ll have to brush their teeth afterward, but everyone has a sweet tooth. Try making cookies or cupcakes together and donat- ing it to a fundraiser to support a chosen cause. Or even just make them for your child’s best play- mate, it’ll surely be a sweet sur- prise. Utilize their talents. Woodhouse encourages parents to have their child exercise his or her strengths in a way that helps someone else. It will not only make him or her feel good, but also gives a sense of ‘I can contribute’, she says. Retirement homes are a great opportunity. Whatever your child’s skill is—drawing, singing, even tap dancing— residents always welcome a smiling child’s face. —A.T. www.ParentingOC.com Parenting OC Magazine | November 2009 29 Todd Creager |
