[Aditya]

7 steps toward softer hearts

1. Teach your child the importance of charity.

Every so often, go through your closets and drawers to find clothing you don't wear anymore or toys that are no longer used. Have your children do the same. Donate the items to Goodwill or the Salvation Army and explain to your kids that their donation will go to someone in need. Other methods include traveling to nursing homes to visit an elderly "grandparent" or volunteering at a local homeless shelter as a family.

Children should also be encouraged to donate a portion of their allowance. The award-winning Money Savvy Pig is an excellent tool to help them do this. Much more than an ordinary piggy bank, the Money Savvy Pig has four chambers, one for each of the "money choices" that children have when they earn or receive money: save, spend, donate or invest.

It's up to them to decide how much should be "donated," and as a parent, you can monitor their donations and discuss their importance. Children can then decide where to donate their money (for instance, to a local humane society, a charity of their choice or buying toys for needy kids).

2. Let your kids know what type of behavior you like and what you don't.

If you spot your child doing something not so nice, let her know. But rather than saying, "You're not nice," (which could hurt her personally) say something like, "When you took your brother's toy, it made him cry. That wasn't a very nice thing to do. I'd like it if you shared your toys with him, and I think he'd like it too." If your children learn that caring behaviors are important to you, these behaviors are likely to become important to your kids, too.