The importance of raising compassionate children.

In these increasingly materialistic times, it is more important than ever to foster a spirit of solidarity . For adults, advertising campaigns that remind us that, at least once a year, we should contribute to the well-being of society in general through our solidarity are important.

For children, education is what matters. A spirit of solidarity should be instilled from a very young age so that it becomes ingrained in them and so that helping those in need becomes as natural as respecting the integrity of their peers.

It should be included in the classroom rules and be part of the list that includes others like "no running," "respect the teacher," or "keep everything tidy." The simple act of lending materials to a classmate who forgot them, of sharing lunch with someone who doesn't have any, is more than an act of solidarity. It is, above all, an act of humanity.

In a mechanized world, one dominated by consoles, games, and smartphones; where we talk to friends more through headphones than face-to-face, it has never been more important to remember and encourage acts of humanity .

Being less and less in contact with others, with realities different from our own, we end up living in a bubble masked by some artificial background of a video conferencing tool.

Children haven't reached that stage yet, but they also create their own virtual bubbles in Minecraft or similar settings. Nobody knows what goes on behind those amazing graphics.

Young children are also rarely, if ever, exposed to environments outside of their cozy homes. Their rooms are typically well-stocked with toys, so many that they exceed the recommended daily dose of sensory stimulation.

What is the impact of facing realities that are different from your own for other children? Not necessarily because they are in a family context with fewer financial resources, but also because they have different origins, cultural patterns, or languages.

Cultural and social confrontation is halfway to making us (and children too) realize that there is another reality besides our own, one that deserves our respect and attention. If the result of this confrontation is the perception that there is some deficit on the other side (of whatever nature) and that we can contribute to overcoming that deficit, then the reaction should be obvious and instinctive.

Children who are able to act in defense of others, who are able to give up their own things for the well-being of others, are strong children now and even stronger in the future. Self-assured, focused on intangible values ​​that translate into the much-acclaimed soft skills that are sought after in any company today. The importance of knowing how to work in a team, of being a good colleague, insightful, agile, and proactive. All these and many other skills begin with an education based on solidarity values ​​that should be encouraged not only (but especially!) in the most materialistic times!

Encouraging solidarity at Christmas

This text, which is largely about Christmas, wouldn't be complete without addressing this topic more directly. After reading the above, you should understand the importance of using festive seasons like this to bring out the best of your child's spirit of solidarity. How?

Here are 4 tips on how to divert attention from the exclusive focus on the gifts you'll receive on the most anticipated night of the year for children.

1. Home Gift Factory - Have your child dress up as Santa and make the gifts you want to give to family, teachers, or even friends. It's the perfect time to also stimulate creativity and remind them of the importance of concepts like recycling. Get inspired here by a Christmas gift you can help make with resources you can easily find at home.
2. Christmas stories – reading in general, and storytelling more specifically, will always be one of the best and most subtle ways to teach. To help young children understand what the spirit of solidarity truly means, you can read stories with them such as "The Spirit of Christmas" by José Letria or "Christmas Eve" by Sophia Mello Breyner.
3. Donating toys or clothes is always an excellent and impactful way for children to realize that there are those who don't have what they take for granted. This can be a difficult task because, even if your child hasn't played with a particular item in a long time, the feeling of belonging is still there, and you'll hardly want to part with the toy to give it to another child. Talk to them and explain the importance of this action to better manage the conflicting emotions that will arise. Choose the toys/clothes together and, preferably, hand them over in person so the child can see the positive impact of their action. It's easy to search for institutions near your area to put this tip into practice.
4. Volunteering – has a similar effect to the suggestion above, but, as it involves donating time, it is even more impactful. It can even turn out to be a fun activity to do together and spend some quality time as a family. Some of the most common options are participating in Food Bank campaigns or even in actions promoted by Just a Change .

Of course, solidarity and all the other qualities your child possesses should be rewarded, and therefore we also advise you, as a parent, to have a compassionate conscience. When buying gifts for children, consider eco-friendly gifts and gifts whose proceeds go to causes that make a difference.

Of course, solidarity and all the other qualities your child possesses should be rewarded, and therefore we also advise you, as a parent, to have a compassionate conscience. When buying gifts for children, consider eco-friendly gifts and gifts whose proceeds go to causes that make a difference. At Minimoon, by purchasing items like this , you are contributing to the preservation of the oceans.