I’m  often asked about how parents can grow compassion in their kids. How to sustain a desire to give and serve. Here are a couple of ideas:

1) Find a way to exercise kindness daily - not just in a crisis or emergency. Mow a lawn, prepare a meal, babysit.

2) Respond to their desire to help by making it happen. There is rarely a convenient time to do something helpful and there’s no shortage of “reasons” a child’s idea of help is impractical.

3) Demonstrate generosity to your neighbors and welcome people who are different from you into your home.

4) Watch your words. How do you describe someone who is poor? How do you describe the 'help' you're providing?

I’d love to hear some of the ways your family works to develop what Gary Haugen, founder of International Justice Mission calls "compassion permanence."