Charity prevents Depression

CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME

Ever heard the expression, “Charity begins at home”? Of course you have, but have you ever heard it in a positive context? I reckon not. It’s most often said with a raised eyebrow and an air of holier than thou attitude. “You should help those at home before you help others in a far flung country.” The expression has always enraged me. People in need are people in need wherever they are. So I decided to find out where the expression came from.
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It turns out that a man called Thomas Fuller, British clergyman and author, coined the famous phrase in the 17th century: “Charity begins at home, but should not end there”. The last bit is conveniently forgotten these days, and he meant exactly the opposite of how people use it now. Fuller was talking about people (usually men) who would make a point of being kind and generous in public, possibly at Church, but then not be as kind to their family at home. His point was — act in the same loving and generous manner to those close to you in private, as you do in public. He never meant that charity should be confined to the home or to our country only. Basically he meant you should be kind and generous at home and extend that to others outside of the home too. Take that one step further and it means we should teach our children to be kind and charitable at home so that they will treat everyone outside in the same manner.
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Donating clothes to Syria and refugees in Lebanon and Greece
Raising global kid citizens
And it is this vein that I set up KidCitizen. It’s about being kind to everyone no matter who they are and where they are. It’s about raising a generation of global citizens who in turn will raise KidCitizens of their own, or at least that is the grand vision. As global citizens, we have responsibilities to each other and to our planet. Whether it’s through showing compassion, sharing knowledge, volunteering, advocating or being charitable. Everyone, including young people, no matter how young, can make a difference. Raising KidCitizens is about raising thinkers, nurturing curious and open minds, encouraging explorers and adventurers, paving the way for knowledge seekers and communicators; opening their eyes to different cultures and bringing up principled activists who will stand up for what is right and above all show compassion at all times.
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Don’t get me wrong, I’m not preaching. I can’t. I am a mum with two boys who have colossal code red tantrums, share (only if their life depends on it), and would really rather drive than flex those little legs, but they are also kind, curious, loving, thoughtful and considerate (or at least have potential to be) and just like British author and environmentalist George Monbiot recently wrote, if we don’t teach kids about nature, they won’t look after it. I’d like to add if we don’t teach them about humanity, they won’t look after that either!
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So what is a global citizen anyway? Here are a few guidelines:
1) One who is kind to everyone
2) One who seeks to understand; accepts and loves other cultures, races and faiths
3) One who connects with nature and looks after the environment
4) One who gives back to the community
5) One who believes in equality for all, will stand up for what is right and will not stay silent in the face of injustice.
Set the record straight
When people say, “Charity begins at home” in a derogatory way, who are they to decide who is worthy of support, who are they to assume that helping those far away is at the expense of those at home and how dare they make aspersions on others’ acts of kindness. So the next time I hear someone use that expression, I won’t feel enraged, I’ll simply say, yes it does. Charity does begin at home, it’s how we teach our kids to love, to respect, to accept, to tolerate, to unite, and to help those in need!
For ways to inspire and support your children in their quest to be good KidCitizens, check out the KidCitizen blog for up and coming blog posts on volunteering opportunities for kids, simple acts of kindness, travelling the world through kid-friendly foods and much more.