Generosity and Giving Back this Holiday Season
Have you noticed how chaotic the world feels for teens right now? From the constant stream of news to school stress and the whirlwind of holiday events and preparing for winter break, it’s easy for our teens to feel overwhelmed. Add to that the holiday messaging that often focuses on materialism and consumption, and it can feel like generosity gets lost in the shuffle.
As parents and caregivers, this season offers a meaningful opportunity to help our teens learn and practice generosity—not just as a holiday tradition but as a way to cultivate kindness and connection. Generosity isn’t just about giving gifts; it’s about being present for others, offering kindness, and showing respect for those around us. And here’s the best part: generosity doesn’t just benefit others; it supports mental wellness, too.
Here are some tips for raising generous teens and helping them find joy and purpose in giving.
Lead by example: Demonstrate generosity in your own life by volunteering, donating, and showing kindness to others around you.
“Kindness challenges”: Encourage your teen to perform one small act of kindness every day, like helping a neighbor, writing a thank you note, or complimenting someone.
Connect generosity to personal values: Be open to talking about how being generous aligns with your values and beliefs. Help your teen understand the role your values play in being generous. It’s important to get beyond the act to understand why we do these things.
Choice and agency: Let your teen choose how they want to contribute, whether it's donating to a specific charity, participating in a local drive, or creating their own fundraising project.
How else can teens learn about Generosity and Giving Back?
As a parent or caregiver, you can encourage your teen to see how others have been generous to them. Over a meal or during a walk, ask your child to think of a time when a grandparent, friend, or neighbor gave something to them. Or suggest that they write in a journal and reflect on times when they’ve experienced generosity. By taking this time to think about how generosity shows up in our lives we can have a deeper appreciation for those around us.
Share this video message about generosity produced by teens for teens:
Generosity and Giving Back makes the Holidays even sweeter
In this season of giving, we can encourage and increase generosity by having a “Pay it Forward” mentality. The idea is to acknowledge the help and support you’ve received in life by passing it on to others. It’s a way to honor the people who’ve helped you without directly thanking them.
A Pay it Forward Mentality during the holiday season can:
Be contagious and create a cycle of kindness
Be a huge multiplier of generosity in your community when so many of us are giving and so many are in need
Lead to greater happiness, stronger social connections, improved mental health, and better physical health
The most important thing to teach your teen, as we continue to work on having a spirit of generosity and giving back, is to stay with it. This can come and go at any point in life. There will always be a time that you can give back to your community, wherever your community is. Having a generous nature is “a practice thing.” Don’t give up and remember to share with those you love and see every day!
Have a truly generous holiday season,
Dr. Faith James
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