Why Children’s Stewardship is Important
Stewardship is not just for adults. In fact, there are many reasons to begin stewardship formation in the young:
- Stewardship can help kids find peace and joy in a world swirling with media messages touting materialism and entitlement.
- Stewardship builds self-esteem by reminding young people that they have been blessed with an abundance of gifts and talents; where commercial advertisements convey the message that they must acquire certain products to be acceptable.
- According to experts, children usually form their attitudes about sharing sometime between the ages of 6 and 10. Stewardship promotes the attitude, “I’m happy to share.”
- Stewardship for children should not be confined to Service Project requirements for graduation or Confirmation; rather, it should become a “way of life.”
- Children need to be reminded that they have been greatly blessed by God and that they should share those blessing in justice with others. The average child today under the age of 13 has $230 a year in disposable income. This is more money than over 500 million heads of household throughout the world have to spend on food, clothing and shelter for their families.
Involve Kids in Parish Stewardship Efforts
- Have a Children’s Stewardship Corner in your parish bulletin and affirm all of the children’s stewardship activities—from the kindergartener who completes simple household chores to the teens who spearhead the neighborhood clean-up effort.
- Provide children are offering envelopes or other opportunities to give financial support for special charities.
- Involve young people in some capacity in as many ministries and events as possible. Some suggestions: altar servers, gift bearers, ushers, youth choir, food and clothing drives, Ministry Festivals, etc.
Note to Teachers and Catechists
Are you looking for fresh ideas for your classroom? The Office of Stewardship can provide enrichment presentations for children of all ages, or help you incorporate the stewardship message into your regular curriculum. Contact Sue Mantarro, Coordinator of Stewardship for information.
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