I’m hungry.
I’m starving.
You have probably heard these statements from your children like a million times.
They may actually need a snack. Perhaps, it has been two or three hours since they have eaten anything. I can guarantee it though, that they are not starving. And that they have most likely never known true hunger. I know my children haven’t. They are privileged. They have never had to go days without food. Nor, have they ever had to go to bed with their stomachs growling and wondering where their next meal is coming.
I am thankful this is their reality. No child should ever live a life where they struggle to get food. But it happens. All the time. How do I teach my children about this important issue that many face in the United States and around the world? Because it is important that they know their privilege is not the reality lived by many. My goal is to help them develop into compassionate and caring adults. So, we have adopted the tradition of The Rice Bowl.
We do this during the season of Lent. For my family as Christians, it fits in well during a season when we are reflecting on the sacrifice God made for us. You could do it any time of the year, for any length of time. Once a week for supper we eat a bowl of rice instead of a full meal. We place a wooden bowl in the center of our table and designate a set amount of what we are probably saving by just eating rice. Because we no longer live in a cash society, we throw an I.O.U. in the bowl. For a family of four, I designate ten or fifteen dollars per homecooked meal. At the end of Lent, we collect all the slips and total them.
Sometimes, there are complaints. What this is it? Is this all we are having? Sometimes, the complaints are more from my husband than my children. In the end, when it comes to donating our money there is only excitement. In past years, we donated to Feed My Starving Children. This year, we decided to donate to our local food shelf.
It is a small sacrifice and we don’t raise a ton of money. My hope though is that it will continue to create teaching moments that will make a big impact on their developing hearts and minds.
What do you do to help your children understand hunger?
