Page 70 - April Issue
P. 70
the new family | teaching
A young child who is selfish are creating a family culture of then they should have the child
will be very possessive with giving. “One way is to involve follow through with the giving.”
their toys. Often they refuse to children at an early age; parents For example, having the child
let anyone even touch them. can have conversations that be involved in buying furniture
A generous child would of involve children being creative for a family whose house is burnt
course be willing to share. Many about how the family can give down, and then seeing it be
children’s behaviour is picked to those who need,” she says delivered to the family or having
up from observing their parents. and this can happen at a very the child tip someone who has
early age and not just when served him or her. The point
Parents children are older. being, she stresses, that the
exchange of money, things, or
A major factor in helping Another way to imbibe the service should involve the child.
your child is the continuous gift of giving in your children
encouragement given by their says Dr Afridi is to spend Dr Afridi also urges to give
parents. Children do as we do time, not just money. “Parents a percentage of what you have;
and not as we say, reminds spending money as well as their “Teach the child that you do not
Dr Saliha Afridi, a clinical time, in giving to the community have to have a lot to give. If they
psychologist in The Human as community service is a get Dhs 50 for their birthday,
Relations Institute. “If parents responsibility and a duty, not teach them at an early age to
walk by and don’t take note of just giving of money,” she notes give a certain percentage of
those who are needy, it is highly and when children see people that money to someone less
likely that the child will also that are less fortunate, it creates fortunate,” she explains.
learn to not notice those who empathy and an awareness that
are less fortunate.” If parents is more deeply rooted than if Real Life
want their children to give, it they were to just give money.
will not be through lecturing or One such example of a mother
preaching, she urges, but rather She also suggests to have who is doing her best to instil
it will be by engaging in the act the child follow through: “When the gift of giving is Darine
of giving. parents see someone on the Williams. Originally Lebanese
street or in the neighbourhood Egyptian now residing in Dubai,
Proactive Steps that is less fortunate, they she has a one year and one
discuss with the child about how month old son named Davaughn
If we want our children to it is that they can give to that Raheim Williams. Her charity
give, Dr Afridi stresses that individual or family,” she says, is called Charity’s Angels and
we need to make sure that we “Once they decide on a way, has accumulated around 500
members over a four year span.
mother, baby & child April 2011 “We do everything from cook
meals for labourers to bake
cupcakes for disabled kids and
orphans. We meet once a month,
mostly at my place for cooking,
gathering goods and making
goodie bags. During the Pakistan
flood, we gathered goods for
that and we have also made
goodie bags for taxi drivers as a
group. I feel that with Davaughn
watching me participate in this
group from such a young age,
he will grow to be interested in
asking questions and want to
help out as he grows older. For
now he sits in his chair, observing
and taking it all in, but I feel that
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