An e-mail from the alumni choir of my alma mater recently turned up in my inbox. "Let's bring the joy of music and laughter to the community," the title read.
They were recruiting volunteers to sing and interact with the mentally and physically handicapped through SAHK, formerly known as the Spastics Association of Hong Kong, a rehabilitation centre which has been in Hong Kong since 1963.
Such events are often oversubscribed, so I thought long and hard: was it time to teach my four-year-old goddaughter to help the less fortunate?
Most people tend to associate charity with giving money. We take out our cheque books and participate in our children's school fund-raising events. While we dig deep in our pockets, children of different ages are introduced to a culture which promotes donating money to worthy causes.
Parents can teach young children about the importance of reaching out to others in their time of need. We can educate children in the spirit of giving and make charity a habit by letting them experience charitable giving first-hand.
There is a wide range of both direct and indirect ways in which children can participate.