When we think of the word ‘sacrifice’, some of our minds may immediately jump to a biblical scene of blade and blood. Of ritual altars and stormy skies. But that’s just what pop culture and movies have taught us. In truth, sacrifice is often more subtle than that, but just as powerful. An act of sacrifice can change lives and entire communities, both for the giver and the receiver. While often lumped together with empathy, compassion, and selflessness, sacrifice represents a more impactful symbolic gesture. Not merely one of service or gratitude, but also of love and loyalty. Parents, for instance, sacrifice a huge part of their lives to raise their kids. They may not necessarily offer blood and tears, but something more infinitely precious: time and attention. The two ingredients that make a happy, prosperous childhood. While your kids may be too young to understand the value of sacrifice, they can still benefit from performing acts of selflessness and charity.
The Value of Sacrifice
On one hand, sacrifice represents extreme worship and surrender to external, non-human forces. On the other, it symbolises a selfless act that is done in the service of another. There are also many types of self-sacrifice. People sacrifice their time, their money, their happiness, and even their lives for the benefit of others, and even for themselves. Soldiers fight in wars to protect their countries, people jump into flaming buildings to save their loved ones, and parents forego mundane luxuries so their children don’t starve. Possibly the most relatable act of sacrifice is the energy and effort many of us expend to improve our own lives. Yes, saying “No” to that doughnut or slice of cake, is an act of sacrifice for your health and long-term wellbeing. As mentioned, sacrifice does not have to begin and end with an earth-shattering event of apocalyptic proportions.
Benefits of Making Sacrifices
Everything we do, even if it’s selfless, has some indirect benefit for us, even if we don’t necessarily ask for them. Ancient civilisations sacrifice animals and humans to appease the Gods and ensure pleasant weather, abundant crops and healthy livestock. Parents who sacrifice themselves for their children also benefit themselves by helping perpetuate the bloodline. Certain people engage in philanthropic efforts as a way of assuaging guilt and earning redemption for past misdeeds.
But these are extreme examples. On the other end of the spectrum, we usually commit small selfless acts for no other reason than because it makes us feel good. Giving alms to the poor, helping an old woman cross the street, rescuing a cat from a tree. These acts may not involve risking life and limb, but they still involve some form of sacrifice in the form of money, time and energy. But the psychological reward of altruism can offer many benefits. It increases happiness, life satisfaction, self-esteem, confidence and in some cases, even promote good health. It can also discourage narcissistic and privileged behaviour. While it may be hard to get kids to be more selfless, here are some ways to instill a healthy sense of self-sacrifice in your kids.
Teaching Your Kids About Sacrifice
Be a Pillar of Selflessness
Children will find more value in being selfless when their parents value making sacrifices. But when we talk about sacrifice, it’s important to distinguish between self-sacrifice and martyrdom. And also about the right way to make sacrifices. You don’t want to be spending all your hard earned money on beggars or on phony donation scams that prey on gullible victims. There are reasonable ways to serve your community without drying up your expenses. Especially if you are struggling financially as well. Teach your children that there is more than way to commit acts of sacrifice that don’t necessarily cost money.
Take them Volunteering
While you may not want to take your children to danger zones and flood areas to help with relief efforts, there are still ways you can get your children into volunteering. Volunteering is a great way to teach kids about helping others in need. People come together to help out the less fortunate and this is something that every child needs to be exposed to. Especially if you want to raise them to become altruistic. Let them have an authentic hands-on experience when it comes to volunteering and giving back to the community. Most kids adore animals; you could bring yours to a shelter to help out for a day, for example. This will teach them a lot about sacrificing their time and energy to help out others.
Encourage them to Donate
Donation is such an easy way to instill a selfless mindset in your kids. This can include anything like toys, clothes and books. In addition, to truly cement their love of committing selfless acts, take them to places where they can actually see their donations being handed to those in need. Where they can see the children’s faces light up at inheriting their old toys and belongings. Some orphanages may allow walk-in donations, so see if there are any in your area. Sometimes your child may not fully appreciate selfless gestures until they see their charitable acts being embraced by others.
Read Them Books About Sacrifice
Books, as always, can offer more insight into complex issues like sacrifice and selflessness especially for children. One of the most important, but heart wrenching children’s books about sacrifice is The Giving Tree. You may have heard of this book even if you’re not a parent due to how impactful the message is. While the story does teach you about why someone makes sacrifices out of love, it’s also a good parable about the dangers of giving too much of yourself. Even if you’re not expecting anything back. Reciprocity, in this case, is just as important as sacrifice.
The Gain of Giving
Oftentimes, many may think about losing or being deprived of something when we think about sacrifice. Even though we have as much to gain from the experience. If not for us, than for our community and family. And teaching your child that there’s value in contributing to the wellbeing of others is one of the greatest gifts you can give them.
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