Dear Parents,

This month we are going to learn about some of the ways Jesus was generous and discuss how we can be more like Jesus by being generous ourselves. There are many ways generosity can be shown, being kind, sharing, giving (donating), helping, even praying for others are great examples. We will discover there are many ways we can be more like Jesus just by having a generous spirit.

• Sharing our toys or a snack with a friend or sibling is not always what we want to do, but it can be a way to have a generous spirit.
• Giving toys to kids who are less fortunate, passing along outgrown clothes to someone who could use them, or sharing a book at a children’s hospital.
• Drawing someone a picture to cheer them up.
• Being friendly or spending time with a new person or someone who is sad.
• Praying for someone who is sick.

Throughout this two-year ALL IN initiative, we hope that the topic of generosity will become a regular and daily conversation in your home. We believe that these two years can be a jump start to your life, your family and your child.

One way to involve the entire family in the conversation of generosity is through this Prayer Bear. A prayer pal is a small teddy bear that we are giving each child as a visual representation/reminder of what it looks like to be generous. Toddlers and preschoolers may not be able to give the same way as adults, but they can still absolutely be generous. We hope this Prayer Bear will help teach this concept while at the same time teaching the importance of regular prayer.

How to Use:

1. Find a “home” for your Prayer Bear to live – maybe it’s in your child’s room, a play area or in the heart of the family room.
2. Whenever your child reaches for or asks to hold or play with the toy, remind them that it’s a Prayer Bear and they can play with it after we pray together.
3. Use one of the suggested prayers on the tag or say your own!
4. Discuss all the ways your child can be generous.
5. Return the Prayer Bear to its “home” until the next time your child asks for it.