Raising Children with Philanthropic Values

“Develop an understanding of your own values, starting with your “money values.” We all have beliefs about money. Affluent parents may have more difficulty clarifying these values since there are so many choices they can make available to their children. Wealth counselors offer a variety of tools to help people articulate their money values and assess whether their behavior is consistent with these values. Keeping a money diary, identifying “money heroes,” or creating a priority ranking of “belief statements” about money can provide valuable insights. Your understanding of how philanthropy fits into your money values will determine the way you shape your children’s philanthropic values.”

Parents with strong moral, religious or civic beliefs hope and expect that their children will grow up to become caring, generous adults with deeply-held philanthropic values. How do children learn these values? What are specific ways to encourage children to ‘give back’? This monograph from The Philanthropic Initiative provides practical guidance for parents seeking to extend a tradition of philanthropy and stewardship to the next generation.