Occasionally parents or parish ministers may question why it is necessary to teach stewardship to children. Here are just a few of the reasons you can share with them.
- Children are bombarded with materialistic messages that only lead to frustration and dissatisfaction with life. Stewardship teaches the differences between needs and wants. Stewardship leads to peace and joy in a crazy world.
- Experts tell us that children usually form their attitudes about sharing sometime between the ages of 6 and 10. They will either develop an entitlement attitude – “The world owes me.” “I don’t have enough.” Or a stewardship attitude – “I have been blessed.” “I am happy to share.”
- Teach stewardship as a way of life to all people and specifically notes that we must integrate the stewardship message into PSR, elementary school and secondary school programs and service projects.
- Our children need to learn that stewardship is not a service project that we must do before we can be confirmed or graduate. Stewardship is a way of life. It is the way a good Christian lives every day of every year.
- Children can afford to be good stewards of treasure. The average child today under the age of 13 has $230 a year in completely disposable income. This is more money than over 500 million heads of households throughout the world have to spend on food, clothing and shelter for their families.
During my 10+ years working in a parish, I would organize numerous opportunities for children and family members to learn more about stewardship. From a preschool day of service to making cards and gifts for those who are homebound, stewardship calls us to share our time, talent and treasure in creative ways!
Looking for ideas to help your children better understand stewardship? Send me a message through the contact form on the website and I’ll be in touch with you soon!