Gave my nephew a good lesson

[Evansmommy1130]

Yesterday I was taking my nephew home and we were stopped at a red light. I see a man holding up a sign saying "homeless with 4 kids and can't find a job, Please help" I reached in my wallet and pulled out a $5, it was all I had since I rarely carry cash, and gave it too him. The light turns green and we pull away. My 10 year old nephew looks at me asks why I would give someone I don't know money? I explained to him that the man was homeless and needed the money. He again asked why because he couldn't understand it. (his parents wouldn't do stuff like that) I then told him that I can spare $5 when I know I have a home and food in my fridge to go home to, that man my not. He asked my what if he was faking being homeless? I told him he could be and there are some that do, but I believe in karma and what you put out you get back. I told him I believe if people were nicer and helped their fellow man this world would be much better. I also explained there are other ways to help though, like going to a soup kitchen and helping serve food. He asked if I would take him to do that and I said I would.

*Just to add I'm not out on the streets giving away thousands a year, since he claimed to have kids it kind of hit home. I'm not saying everyone should be giving panhandlers cash, the lesson I was teaching my nephew was that old saying " never look down on someone, unless your helping them up." My family is so blessed, I try to teach my son and my nephew to give back and be kind to others.*

[erin708]

Although its a nice gesture, the news in fl just busted a panhandler. He pretends to be handicapped and makes over 100k a yr. I don't give anyone money I don't know. My dh works too hard for it.

[armyvet06]

I will not give a stranger money. But we are shopping or something and a homeless person asks me for money, I would offer to buy him whatever it was he was trying to get (minus booze and cigarettes).

[ChancesMommy07]

I do the same thing OP. At 31 years old I'm not cynical enough yet to believe that every person out there is trying to scam me. Are there people that fake it for money? Sure, but I don't believe they are the majority and I'm a big believer in paying it forward. We have the money and I'll give it if I have it on me.

[OBImomma]

Good for you op! My mom always gave this homeless guy at the ball game (MLB) money on our way out. Then he started asking for our leftover peanuts (the kind you get at a game). So she'd give him any snacks we had left too. He'd be eating them before we started walking away. Some may not really need it but there's no way to tell who does and who doesn't.

[brittany208]

Yeah, I felt guilt the other day when I didn't give money to one (I never, ever do) bc I teach my DS all the same sorts of things. But I'm not going to get into the "well, he'll probably use it for drugs/alcohol" conversation with my 3yo...

We do talk a LOT about how some people don't have jobs and therefore don't have food or a home. We do the salvation army thing, the food pantry thing, all sorts of things. Wish I could figure out an age-appropriate answer to why we don't just give cash to people on the street corner.

[brittany208]

p.s. its not that im so cynical to believe that they are all like that. I just dont want to encourage people to be out on street corners. If they need help, they need to go to a shelter, or a food bank, or a church. There are resources out there for them other than standing out in the cold.

[sarahjoy]

I don't give money to people on the side of the road... but we do other things to help out like donating clothing to kids or goodwill.  If I have school uniforms that don't fit my kids I give them to a student in my class that I know needs them.  We also do volunteering at non for profit organizations to help with environmental conservation.  (my oldest dd loves this,  she begs me to go when ever they have an event to help out)

[TheJs]

we had one here like that for a long time. drove a brand new truck, loved in a nice house, and panhandled for it all.

Quoting erin708:

Although its a nice gesture, the news in fl just busted a panhandler. He pretends to be handicapped and makes over 100k a yr. I don't give anyone money I don't know. My dh works too hard for it.

[LongBeachLiz]

My ex hustled and did that stuff. I don't trust anyone. I am.more.willing to give food and.water.

[TheJs]

me too. I'll give them food, water, maybe even gas, but not money straight out.

Quoting LongBeachLiz:

My ex hustled and did that stuff. I don't trust anyone. I am.more.willing to give food and.water.