Like most toddlers, my two-year-old is pretty needy. He can?t get dressed, cut up his food or put away his toys on his own. So when he does get a chance to help out?like passing me his cars to put in the bin or grabbing an apple from the fridge?I can see the happiness he gets from it. I want him to grow up to be the kind of person who continues to get joy out of helping others, so I checked in with a few people who spend a lot of time with kids to see how we can foster their natural inclination to help.
Donate their special day
Ask your kids if they?re willing to have birthday guests make a monetary donation or bring a contribution for a food bank or animal shelter, rather than a gift. ?This shows them how they can have an impact in their own community,? says Minneapolis-based licensed counselor Christie Jenkins. You can take the next step and personally deliver the donations with your kid, so they can see who is benefitting from their generosity. Join a group

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How to raise a readerWhether it?s a garden club, where kids are planting and harvesting vegetables for the community, Girl or Boy Scouts, student council or another extracurricular activity, participating in acts of service with friends gives kids the idea that volunteering and giving ba...