There’s so much we want for our children. We want them to be healthy, happy and grow into magnificent adults. Of course, if they become President or invent an anti-wrinkle cream that really works, that would be an added bonus. And there are a few things I do, very consciously, to inspire my two daughters: teach them good manners, gratefulness and giving back. They are so lucky to be in a position where there is always food on the table and warm clothes in the closet. I want them to be very aware of their community and the needs that others have.
When I had my eldest daughter, I was overloaded with baby clothes and gear. She was growing up so fast, she never wore half the outfits, so I started researching where I could donate them. There are great institutions in my community, but they weren’t fully equipped to handle children’s things. And then I heard about Baby Buggy, a non-profit organization that recycles baby clothes and gear for families in need in New York and Los Angeles. I have been an active participant ever since.
I take my children to volunteer at Baby Buggy’s warehouse a few times a year. I want them to sort clothes and to know that they can help other children just like themselves that need a hand. I believe it’s important to teach children that charity doesn’t always mean writing a check. They can always be hands–on, whether that’s preparing bundles for a shelter baby shower, walking dogs at a shelter or collecting canned goods for food banks. I have found, as a result of getting my daughters involved, that they now think philanthropically. They have lemonade stands and bake sales to help children all over the world. They create charities in their ethics class at school and have conditioned their minds to always ponder how they can be of service. And for this I’m so proud.
We also attend Baby Buggy’s annual Bedtime Bash event in Central Park, New York, which helps raise money and awareness for the organization. This year, I attended as an ambassador for both Baby Buggy and Johnson & Johnson, one of the event’s sponsors, to help spread the message of caring for others It’s always an afternoon of fun, but more importantly, an afternoon where we focus on appreciating what our family has and actively working to give back to those who are in need.
My kids are constantly seduced by materialism and trends, but they also think of others and look for ways to help locally and globally. And that’s one of the big things that makes me think I’m doing okay as a Mom. Now, about that wrinkle cream….
Watch Ali’s interviews with Kyle MacLachlan, Jessica Seinfeld, and others at the Baby Buggy Bedtime Bash.
Author, actress, and host, Ali Wentworth is a multifaceted talent, bringing a wealth of experience to all her endeavors. As a writer, Wentworth has a column in Marie Claire magazine, wrote, co-created, co-executive produced, and starred in the Starz series "Head Case," and is the author of two books: The WASP Cookbook (detailing the culinary lack of taste of the puritanical history with hilarious commentary on WASP culture) and the recently released New York Times Best Seller, Ali in Wonderland, a memoir collection of funny stories and anecdotes from Ali's childhood, through her life in the limelight (coming to paperback this winter). Some of Ali's acting highlights include rolls in Nancy Myers' Its Complicated (starring Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin), Jerry Maguire (opposite Tom Cruise), Jerry's girlfriend Schmoopie in the classic Seinfeld episode The Soup Nazi, and a regular on the television series In Living Color. She can also be seen as a guest star on hit shows such as, Cougar Town, Blue Bloods, and The Michael J. Fox Show. Ali has appeared as a frequent guest, host, or commentator on such programs as The Marriage Ref, The View, and Larry King Live. She has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno over a hundred times, and held a three-year contract with The Oprah Winfrey Show, where she was an on-air correspondent. She can also be seen in her megahit Yahoo.com web series, Daily Shot with Ali Wentworth. She was most recently featured as herself on Beat Bobby Flay. A Washington, D.C. native, Ms. Wentworth is the daughter of a political journalist and former Reagan administration social secretary. She honed the craft of acting at New York University and with The Groundlings in Los Angeles. She resides in New York City with her husband George Stephanopoulos, and their two daughters.