Teaching Children Hospitality

(Photo by Eli)

"The early years of a child's life are very precious. There is much to learn, and children are eager to absorb these lessons. Wait too long and that eagerness disappears. Lessons in hospitality should extend beyond just receiving. Childhood is a wonderful time to start to defeat the current attitude of me-ism and cultivate an attitude of giving hospitality as well as receiving it. As we approach the twenty-first century, the biblical principle still rings true: it is indeed more blessed to give than to receive.

Children can give a unique gift to the elderly by just their presence; and, in return, the elderly have a lifetime of experience to share with even the very young. A gift of cookies to a shut-in neighbor, a handmade gingerbread cookie Christmas ornament given to decorate the tree of a friend, a scribbled note or even a hand-drawn picture sent to someone who is lonely: all these are simple acts of hospitality that children can perform. Except for unusual circumstances, children should never be isolated from people who are old or handicapped. People with mixed needs, backgrounds, and ages have much to offer each other."

-- From "The Welcoming Hearth - Your Home Can Be a Safe Place of Warmth and Renewal" by Elizabeth R. Skoglund