with Noni Hazlehurst     For most children, Christmas is a time of happiness and love, smiles and laughter. We can all remember the excitement of Christmas as children – the anticipation of wondering what our presents might be and the thrill of opening them.  However thousands of kids won’t experience this kind of Christmas.

Barnardos Australia, the country’s leading child welfare charity, in partnership with Duracell, have launched a national appeal to encourage people to help make Christmas a happier time for these vulnerable children.

Barnardos National Ambassador, Noni Hazlehurst said, “We all want our children to have a happy Christmas,  but for those who have been abandoned by their parents or have been removed from abusive situations, those who are ill, or living in squalid conditions, Christmas can be far from happy.”

Noni believes it is important to participate in charitable activities as a family. 'We are so lucky to live in this country - we don't have to queue for food and water, we don't have to vote under a hail of bullets. Compared to most other places on earth, Australia is a wonderful place to live. It's easy to forget that millions of people, not only overseas, but here as well, don't have the advantages most of us enjoy. To set the example to our children that we are actively helping those who are less fortunate reminds them that there is more to the world than middle-class Australian society. It also teaches them that they are not the most important people in the world - that everyone is deserving of respect and support.'

For Noni, teaching her kids about charity and helping other kids in need can take many forms.  'We talk about having an attitude of gratitude for our good fortune, and they are well aware of the kinds of issues and problems faced by the families and individuals that charities like Barnardos support. We contribute to several different kinds of charity organizations, and I often take them with me to functions like the Barnardos Mother of the Year Awards, where they meet some remarkable people. Often, when they complain about something not being fair in their own lives, I tell them that they sound like an episode of Home and Away and to get over themselves! We talk about schemes like Volunteers Abroad, and the importance of mentoring and setting a good example as a citizen.'

We asked Noni what some of the challenges are in doing this, especially when many kids today have so much.  Noni believes that 'apart from the desire we all have to give our own kids a huge pile of presents at Christmas, there are no real challenges. It's just a matter of will and determination. There are no excuses for not helping the needy, and I tell my sons all the time that anywhere you see injustice, you should try to correct it, particularly where children are involved. And we should all be pegging back extravagance towards our kids at Christmas, as we are setting up an expectation that it's their right to have anything they ask for. '

According to Noni, one of the best ways to help our kids understand the importance of giving, especially at Christmas time is to let them see results. 'Many charities that ask us to sponsor a child establish a relationship with that child, so you can see photos and read about the impact your donation is having. Or take a gift to someone you know who really needs it, or whose life would be considerably brightened by a home made cake or even a card. And Christmas should not be the only time we focus on giving. Doing things to make other people's lives easier and giving service where you can should be a constant focus. '

Families, kids, or groups of kids can help to 'Power a Smile' this Christmas.  'Power a Smile is set up to be easy  - the website is self-explanatory and very comprehensive. All it takes is a minimum of $25 - so a family could put in a few dollars each, or a group of kids could pool their pocket money. Parents can show their children the website. There are stories about the children who will be helped, a page of toys approved by Barnardos to choose from if you prefer that to a cash donation, and a progress chart to see how close we're getting to our target. '

'It's also useful to talk to kids about how some companies donate to charity, using the generous dollar for dollar contribution by Duracell in the Power a Smile initiative as an example. Your child might grow up to be a CEO one day!'

Link: Power a Smile

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