We talk about how we’re very lucky to have homes, beds, toys, and refrigerators full of food and that not everyone has those things. We also try to be careful to say we are lucky “at this time” to remind us all that we may go through ups and downs ourselves.
Ms. Cullert said that she and her two fellow co-founders of Little Givers, all mothers of preschool children, were inspired to start Little Givers becauseWe grew up knowing the importance of giving to important causes and before we had kids we were active in the community. With kids, it’s more difficult to find age-appropriate ways to get them involved. We were taking our kids to soccer games and art classes and we thought wouldn’t it be nice if they could be involved in a class where they’d learn more about their community and how they can make an impact on the world around them?
A Sesame Street special or a class may spark a discussion between parents and their children about needs in their community. But the very fact that parents are looking for help in these conversations is a sign of the erosion of community ties chronicled in Robert Putnam’s Bowling Alone: America’s Declining Social Capital. Our social lives bring us less frequently into contact with a broad range of the community than was true in past decades, and many of us are less likely to be active in community groups that address the needs of those in our neighborhoods. A Wall Street Journal article entitled “Parents Outsource the Basics” raised the suggestion that programs like Little Givers teach children about matters that parents should take care to teach children themselves. After all, parents might teach children about philanthropy through their example and at their house of worship rather than by signing their children up for a class. But, as Putnam’s argument suggests, perhaps it is genuinely harder today than in past decades to introduce children to the range of needs in the community. In response to the charge that programs like Little Givers let parents “outsource” their responsibilities, Ms. Cullert of Little Givers replies:We’re providing more opportunities for families. Little Givers starts a productive dialogue in class that children take home to continue with their families. The “outsourcing” angle has a negative connotation to it, but we find that opening a dialogue about giving is a very positive experience for parents and children. We are not just teaching about giving back to the community, our kids complete projects every week that do give back.
We might regret that parents need help starting such a dialogue. However, if such programs help parents and children start conversations about philanthropy, perhaps they’re a welcome development in this age of weakened community and social ties.