Last night we gathered with friends, old and new on Twitter to talk about teaching our children how to be charitable and enjoy helping others.  The conversation stemmed out of a current campaign that we are working on with our friends at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital^®.  Right now for every Rabbit Ears app that you download for $1.99, we are donating 100% of the net proceeds ($1.39 per app) to our friends at St. Jude to support their efforts.  Our campaign ends at the end of the month, so download these apps today.

As a children’s publishing company, and moms and dads ourselves, we care a lot about Social Good and teaching our children to help others, and we know that our community shares the same belief.  So, we gathered our friends, MommyMentor, CiaoMom, AMotherhoodBlog, ComplicatedMama, saving4someday and primetimeparent to help guide the discussion. Our friends at StJude were also on hand during the fast-moving hour, and we had great giveaways from BuildaBear, LOFT and Dominos, as well as merchandisefrom StJude.

Here are some snippets of our conversation.  If you want to review the whole conversation, send me an email and we can send you the script at holly@ruckusmediagroup.com

Do you make an effort to teach your children about philanthropy?

ComplicatedMama: I always make an effort to teach my kids ab philanthropy. I try to involve them in the donations I make.

CiaoMom: also, children have to see you doing it, walking the walk.

MommyMentor: We have adopted a family this Christmas and the children helped buy presents for them.

bcherry82: The younger the better. We go to the local nursing home here once a week with our dog, & donate to food pantry.

KaratewithaZ: The bell ringers are everywhere this time of year too, I let my son make the donation drop so he feels special.

nikki2kids: My kids like to pick out special toys for toys for tots every year.

CristaMorrow: We teach our young children to be compassionate and care for others. Philanthropy will surely follow.

MOM4EVEREVER: Kids need to be brought up its their responsibility to give back, that its not a get world but a give back pay it forward.

How do you encourage the spirit of service?

MissMimiwallace: I always try to stay positive and have a giving caring attitude & I instill it into my daughter as well.

elivya: I think you can encourage it by showing kids how it benefits others to donate time and energy to helping.

primetimeparent: By example, thinking of others!

ToodiesMomma: By sharing my knowledge and also talking about the charities i support and donate to.

sleatham1: I volunteer to help others when anyone needs help…at church and christian help center too.

KaratewithaZ: We love to give when we can. We’ve needed help this year ourselves but we’ve kept ourselves in good spirits.

IrishRed02: When we have the chance to help I get the kids involved, whether it’s shopping 4 school supplies or donating food.

MommyMentor: I think it is important that children know service can be the smallest things you do to help others.

What kind of volunteer projects are appropriate for children?

IrishRed02: Toy drives, food drives, picking old toys and clothes to donate.

KaratewithaZ: Making cards or crafts to make people smile is a perfect job for a child.

ToodiesMomajail: Participating in the angel tree. My daughter enjoys picking out the presents.

Arianah_00: Caroling to senior homes…visiting other children in the hospital.

Tink4everbell: Helping serve others at a shelter, it depends on the age. Age appropriate things of course.

aspiringmama: I have my 4 yr old choose unused toys to donate and take her with me to do so. Makes her feel involved.

saving4someday: There are always age-appropriate option for kids to volunteer. Helping has no age minimum.

bcherry82:My son has to give all his old toys to the church charity, and give one of his new ones as well.

To end our chat, tell us how you teach kids to give back during the holidays?

MommyMentor: They use their own money from allowance to buy for our adopted family.

CiaoMom: We take a day off of Hanukkah and give instead of getting.

livelovelynn: We’re sure to give generously to our local food bank. It reminds us of how fortunate we really are.

lovinmomma88: I taught him that if he gives, there’s room for more, as well as making other kids happy. he loves that. HAPPY.

teachwtechbrox: We also make sure the kids are involved in choosing names from “giving tree” at church and they help purchase the gifts.

How do you talk about helping others? How do you make it a priority?

mellanhead: My son’s class gets a marble whenever they do something good. If filled they get pizza party.

saving4someday: I sit on the board of a charity, it’s part of how I roll. My daughter understands that.

Stay tuned for our next Twitter Party on January 18th.  We’ll be joined by our friend at Famigo and elsewhere to talk Kids and Technology.