Generosity - January
	Generous students... share their lunch with a friend if they don't have one. volunteer to babysit without being paid. help a family member or friend with a project without expecting anything in return. pass on a day out with your friends to spend time with an elderly family member. give their own time, money, possessions, and talent to help someone in need.   Generosity at The Country School "Table Talk" 2012-2013 Shared Story for Generosity:      Past Shared Stories for Generosity: Those Shoes Boxes for Katje The Quiltmaker's Gift Uncle Jed's Barbershop The Runaway Rice Cake The Spiffiest Giant in Town Mr. Tannen's Tie Trouble For January, The Country School will be focusing on the value of generosity.  While holiday time is a wonderful time to talk about generosity, we feel it is important to spread the word about giving throughout the year.  After the holidays, contributions to charities are down.  People start thinking about vacations - not donations.  Giving and generosity are important year round, not just in December.  The values of compassion and generosity help our children to make and keep friends, excel in school, and feel fulfilled. So how can we get ourselves and our children focused on giving over receiving, people over electronics, and facetime over Facebook?  Here are some ways at home we can stress giving over receiving and teach the gift of giving all year ‘round: Ask your children to go through the pantry at home and find any canned goods that haven’t been used within the last 6 months. If they’re not being eaten, give them to a family who can use them! After every other season, have a “closet day” in which your children spend some time going through their closet and bagging up the things that are too small or unused. Then drive them to the drop off center or charity and allow them to contribute their donations. Encourage your children to call elderly family members—even extended family members– just to say hello, tell them what’s new, and ask them what they’re up to these days. A simple call can make someone’s day. Ensure that your children send out thank you cards. If they’re very young, have them sign them in their own way—either with their name, a drawing, or decorative stickers. Let your children know when you see a great example of generosity among them or their friends. Praise the person who showed the generosity in front of your children as well as privately. Don’t just say, “good job.” Say something like, “I’m so proud of the way you shared your toys. What a great friend you are! One thing I know about you is that you are a generous, kind person who likes to share with others.” Thanks for working with us in helping to teach your child about the value of generosity.