Teaching Children the Sacred Principle of Tithing
Children learn discipleship through repeated, ordinary experiences. When they see parents pray, serve, keep covenants and handle money with integrity, gospel principles become part of family life rather than ideas reserved for Sunday lessons. Tithing can be taught in that same warm, practical way.
For Latter-day Saint families in Australia, conversations about giving may happen around pocket money, casual work, birthday gifts or earnings deposited in an Australian bank account. The amount may be small, yet the spiritual lesson is lasting: everything we have comes from Heavenly Father, and we willingly return a tenth to help build His kingdom.
Why Tithing Belongs in Family Discipleship
Tithing is a commandment and an expression of faith. Church members give one-tenth of their increase, trusting the Lord’s promise of blessings and seeking to support the work of salvation. Children can understand this as an act of gratitude rather than a fee for belonging to the Church.
Begin with language suited to their age. A young child may learn, “We give one dollar from ten dollars because we love Heavenly Father.” An older child can discuss honesty, sacrifice, stewardship and the way tithing helps provide meetinghouses, temples, missionary work, scriptures and gospel resources.
Teach the Principle Simply
Use real examples from family life. If a child receives $20 from a grandparent, explain that setting aside $2 for tithing is a faithful choice. If an older teenager earns money from babysitting, mowing lawns or a weekend shift, help them calculate the amount without making the process feel like a financial burden.
Children should also learn that tithing is personal worship. Parents can explain that each member decides what to pay after prayer and follows prophetic teaching. Avoid turning the conversation into a competition about who gives the most, since the value of an offering is measured by faith and obedience, not by its size.
Let Children Practise Stewardship
A simple envelope, savings jar or separate account can make the principle visible. Some families divide money into categories such as tithing, saving, spending and sharing. This approach helps children see that wise stewardship includes immediate needs, future responsibilities and generous service.
Australian families may need to explain that money can arrive in different forms: cash from a birthday card, a bank transfer from a relative, or wages from a part-time job. The method of receiving money does not change the spiritual principle. Parents can help children complete a tithing slip or use the Church’s donation process when appropriate, while protecting their privacy and dignity.
Make Sacrifice Personal and Peaceful
A child may feel disappointed when tithing reduces the money available for a toy, game or outing. That moment is an opportunity to acknowledge the feeling rather than dismiss it. Parents might say, “It is hard to wait for something you want. We can pray for help to choose what matters most.”
Share testimony without promising that faithful giving will make a family wealthy. The blessings of tithing may include greater peace, trust in God, gratitude and spiritual strength. Families in Sydney, Perth or regional Queensland may face very different housing and living costs, so children benefit from hearing that obedience is about covenant faithfulness, not a guarantee of a particular lifestyle.
Connect Giving With Worship
Tithing becomes richer when children see where it fits within the restored gospel. It belongs alongside prayer, scripture study, the sacrament, temple worship and service. A family conversation about spiritual gifts, such as the one described in recognising spiritual gifts, can help children see that discipleship involves offering their abilities, time and resources to the Lord.
Invite children to notice the good that grows from faithful Church support. They may see a Primary lesson prepared with printed materials, a chapel maintained for worship or missionaries serving far from home. These examples should point back to Jesus Christ, whose gospel teaches us to love God and bless His children.
Simple Family Practices for Everyday Learning
A consistent family rhythm makes tithing feel natural rather than rushed. Consider practices such as:
- Letting children count coins or calculate ten per cent with a calculator
- Keeping a small record of money received and money set aside
- Praying together before making a significant financial decision
- Including tithing in a family home evening lesson
- Discussing gratitude when bills, work or income change
- Reviewing the year’s lessons before tithing settlement
The tone matters as much as the routine. Keep records discreet, never shame a child for a mistake, and thank children for their willingness to learn. A child who accidentally spends money intended for tithing needs patient guidance, not embarrassment.
Families can reinforce the principle through service and connection:
- Preparing a meal for someone who is unwell
- Visiting an older member or neighbour
- Donating suitable items when another family has a need
- Serving faithfully in a Church calling
- Talking about how ministering blesses individuals
- Reading stories of generosity in the scriptures
As parents serve, they can explain that tithing is one part of a covenant life. The spirit of ministering is beautifully illustrated in the sacred calling of ministering, where care for people grows from genuine love rather than a checklist.
Make Room for Questions and Faith
Children may ask why God needs money, whether tithing applies to gifts, or what happens when a family has very little. These questions deserve calm, honest answers. Parents can teach the revealed principle, encourage personal prayer and seek guidance from appropriate Church resources and leaders when circumstances are complex.
Financial hardship requires compassion. A family should not use a child’s offering to create fear or pressure. Parents can testify that the Lord knows each household’s circumstances and that covenant decisions should be made with faith, wisdom and peace. Children can learn that generosity includes kindness, time and service, while tithing remains a distinct commandment.
Keep the Spirit of Agency and Joy
Children are more likely to embrace tithing when they see that it is chosen freely as an expression of love. Parents can invite, teach and model without demanding public displays of devotion. Private faith can be deeply sincere, especially as children grow and begin to seek their own testimony.
Over time, the family may mark milestones: a first tithing payment, a teenager’s first wages, or a child’s decision to become a full-tithe payer. These moments need no grand celebration. A sincere “I’m proud of your faith” and a quiet testimony can be enough.
The lasting lesson is that tithing teaches trust, gratitude and covenant loyalty. Children should remember that the Lord asks for willing hearts, that every honest offering matters, and that faithful stewardship begins with recognising whose blessings make our lives possible.
