The other night I had the opportunity to bring my children to the launch of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation Yard Sale for a Cure. Those who know me know that I’m passionate about giving back and almost never say “no” when asked to help out for a worthy cause. This is why I’m completely overextended; but that’s another story…
Over the years, I’ve been slowly, but consistently, trying to lead by example while teaching my kids about giving back. It’s a fine balance. While I want to raise children who are aware of the world around them, as I like to call them, “citizens of the world”, I also don’t want to freak them out in the process.
So far so good, I think. It is in their actions that I see I am heading in the right direction. For example, they never give me grief when it is time to say good bye to a much loved, but outgrown toy. In truth, they both love to give their toys away to other kids who need them. To my utter amazement and pride, they have both had birthday parties where they didn’t receive any gifts but instead gave all their gift money to charity. These are life lessons that I hope will stay with them forever.
So, last night, when I had the opportunity to teach them about cancer awareness, fundraising and the important work people do; I grabbed it. I took them the launch of the Yard Sale for The Cure. And you know what, they had a great time helping raise funds and awareness for breast cancer. I decided this would be a great time to ask them a few questions about what it means for them to give back. While reading – can you guess who is the nine year old girl and who is seven year old boy?
Here is our conversation (verbatim):
Do you like to help out people who need it? Why?
M: I like to help out people because it makes me feel like I don’t just care about myself and I care about other people in the world. I want to make sure it’s not just me who is happy because you also have to care about other people.
C: Yes I like to help people because if they don’t have anything I want them to have a lot of stuff and things to do and people to love. I don’t want them to be sad and standing on the street. I want them to have a home.
How does it make you feel when you help other people?
M: it makes me feel happy and caring because I know that I am doing something good and it’s going to help someone
C: I feel good because I am helping people who need stuff.
If you could do one thing for another child what would it be?
M: I would donate all the clothes and toys that I don’t use anymore and I would give it to them and then I would feel good because I gave them something I wasn’t using and didn’t just throw my stuff out.
C: I would give them a home and someone to love.
What did you learn from having a yard sale?
M: I learned that you don’t have to waste the things you have because other people can use them and they are good as new for other people even if they are not for you.
C: I learned that it was fun and I know I am doing something helpful.
Was it hard it put together a yard sale?
M: Yes because you didn’t know what other people’s tastes were, what they liked and what they wanted to spend on an item. Plus you had to set it up in a way to catch people’s attention.
C: Not that hard to do a yard sale.
What did you learn about breast cancer?
M: I learned that 1 in 9 women get breast cancer and a lot of people on the breast cancer committee think that is still a high number and we need to do yard sales and events like that so the number gets lower.
C: I learned that you should help people because they are really sick.
Do you think it is important for people to hold yard sales and donate their money to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation?
M: Yes I do because if they don’t then it means that it could increase the chances of more people getting breast cancer and that isn’t good.
C: Yes because it’s good for people because you’re helping people.
How do you think this would make you feel?
M: I would feel very happy because they care about me and they don’t want breast cancer to ruin more people’s lives.
C: I would feel happy because they gave money to try and help me
Would you like to shop or hold a Yard Sale for the Cure?
M: I would like to have my own yard sale because then all the stuff I don’t use still gets used and for a good cause.
C: I would like to have my own yard sale because then I can create a big yard sale to help a lot of people
