Want to raise generous adults? Start the conversation while they’re teenagers.
Research in the Journal of Adolescence found that helping others doesn’t just benefit the community—it raises teens’ self-esteem and sense of self-worth.
Parents and grandparents often ask how to get teens involved. Here are a few tips.
Start by asking what they care about, whether it’s animals, the environment, education, or helping neighbors. Volunteer together, even for just an hour. Visit a local nonprofit, because a twenty-minute visit can be eye-opening. Let them help decide where the family’s giving goes. And encourage them to give some of their own money, like birthday cash or a summer paycheck. It always feels more real.
Above all, focus on progress, not perfection. Small experiences build lifelong habits of generosity.
Find ten ways teens can get involved in charitable giving at cfgm.org/wkno. One of the greatest gifts you can give the next generation is knowing they have the power to make a difference.