You don’t have to look far in December to see messages about being kind and generous to those in need around the holidays. A hard year in 2020 has magnified that need for so many. The holidays can also be a good time to teach our girls that the season isn’t just about lights, presents, and food. It’s also a time to show kindness and empathy to others. 

This time of year is often filled with gatherings for social good and family activities, but the rise in COVID-19 infections is a real concern. Keeping your family safe, including children as well as vulnerable family members, should be a top priority for this season of giving. Let’s take a closer look. 

Volunteering

The spirit of charity and giving back to the community is also a big part of the holiday season. Many organizations are struggling without the ability to have help from volunteers this December. There are alternatives to volunteer gatherings, even if they don’t feel the same as usual. The United Way of Atlanta offers several suggestions. 

Some options include: 

• Online storytelling
• Sending letters to healthcare workers, military personnel, and elders in assisted living
• Collecting toys, clothes, and food for local charities
• Participating in virtual activities with your faith community 

Donating

Money is also a big factor during this time of year and organizations struggling can always use more funds. Teaching your girls to save money, specifically with charitable giving in mind, is always a great way for children to learn financial management and the importance of giving back. 

If you give your girls an allowance, encourage them to split that money into three piggy banks. One is for savings, one for spending, and one for giving. They can donate the money they save for the community to a charity that is important to your family.

Age-Appropriate Activities

This holiday season will look very different for everyone and that can affect your girls’ experience. It will be important to incorporate age-appropriate seasonal activities to help them feel normal. For instance, your girls can make crafts and help with indoor or outdoor decorations. You can bake cookies or other treats and deliver them safely for your neighbors to enjoy. 

This website gives lots of ideas for age-specific activities you can incorporate into your holiday traditions this year. 

We want to hear from you. How will you give back to the community? What new holiday activities will you be doing this year?

It’s not uncommon to see the message of gratitude shared throughout November. Here in the U.S., we celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday on the fourth Thursday of the month. It’s an observance established with the sole purpose of giving thanks for the many blessings throughout the year. It’s also become a time when we celebrate family with a large feast. But gratitude shouldn’t just be reserved for one month out of the year. How else can you teach girls about gratitude? 

Gratitude and Kindness 

Being kind is about being friendly, generous, compassionate, and considerate. We would add another trait to kindness and that’s gratitude. Teaching our girls to be kind is one of the ways we can counter mean and bullying behavior. That’s not to say you can’t also teach your girls to be strong, independent, and assertive when they need to be, but it can always be done with a healthy dose of kindness. 

So how does gratitude fit in? Demonstrating gratitude and expressing thanks can improve individual perception and influence the people around them. Gratitude is contagious. 

Year-Round Thankfulness

While we focus on gratitude around Thanksgiving, it’s a trait that should be reinforced all year long. Gratitude can be expressed as prayer if your family is spiritual, but it doesn’t have to be in that context. Gratitude is for everyone. 

Teach your girls to say “Thank You,” in response to others. This will also lead to more courteous behavior including helping those in need. Practice this throughout the year. 

As a note, however, your daughters don’t have to thank people who are behaving in a less than honorable way. Teaching them to express thanks simply because someone demands it isn’t true gratitude. Your girls should feel empowered to thank the people they’re comfortable thanking. 

Showing Gratitude to Others

So how do you demonstrate gratitude toward others in your daily lives? There are many ways. 

• Keep a gratitude journal
• Say “Thank You” 
• Write a thank-you note
• Make and give gifts
• Ask someone about their day
• Practice active listening

While big gestures are great, gratitude can be just the smallest thing. It’s a healthy habit to be cultivated just like exercising and eating well. 

Safe Celebrations this Year

Many of us are finding it difficult to express our thanks in 2020, but stopping and reflecting can still help us heal and move forward. While thanksgiving might look very different this year, it’s still a good day to celebrate loved ones. 

Cooking a meal at home with your immediate family is very low risk. If you have family members who can’t travel for the holiday, call them or invite them to an online video conference. If you can’t be with family or friends this year, write and send Thanksgiving cards to share gratitude for people in your life. 

How will you practice gratitude and celebrate Thanksgiving this year?