Teaching kids the gift of giving
By Katie Riley
Five years ago, when the McLean family of Catonsville lost their beloved family dog, they decided to turn their grief into something positive by hosting a holiday donation drive for needy pets.
Mom Angie, dad Chuck and daughters Gabriella, 14, and Madelin, 12, collected an entire vanload of dog and cat food, pet toys and blankets for homeless animals at the Maryland SPCA.
“The donation drive sparked a consistent response in my kids,” Angie says. “It taught them the very basic lesson of kindness to others and they were excited for more opportunities.”
The McLeans have continued to collect for the SPCA each year, and last year they partnered with local schools to collect more than four vanloads of supplies for needy pets.
“When kids help out, whether it is through donations or volunteering, they can see the need firsthand, and it turns them into leaders,” McLean says.
It’s important for kids — and adults — to focus on giving and volunteering around the holidays as a way to keep the true spirit of the Christmas alive, says Sarah Spaulding, a licensed counselor from Columbia and guidance counselor at the School of the Incarnation in Gambrills.
“A child’s holiday focus may be on presents and parties, but volunteering breaks them out of that rut,” Spaulding says. “Regular volunteering … encourages children to develop empathy, rather than sympathy, for the less fortunate, and they will carry that ability throughout all facets of their life.”
The Kinsella family of Severna Park took this to heart 13 years ago when they started volunteering with Giving Back: Linda’s Legacy, a charity that delivers warm clothes and necessities to the homeless on Christmas Eve.
“That first year, our family delivered items until 3 a.m. on the streets of Baltimore,” says mom Ellen Kinsella. “It was exhausting, but our children were enthusiastic and energized by the experience.”
Now grown, her three children still volunteer each year, sorting clothes and packing backpacks for the charity that has grown to serve thousands of homeless in the greater Baltimore/Washington, D.C., area.
“In a time when we are bombarded by commercialism, it’s refreshing to see the true spirit of Christmas giving in action,” Kinsella says. “It is truly the best possible way to spend our Christmas Eve.”
If you are looking for ways for your family to give this holiday season, see story Ways your family can give to the needy this Christmas in MD
