What Is Sharing Small?
Sharing Small is a children’s sock subscription service designed to take an everyday item and turn it into a source of fun, community, and a lesson on the importance of empathy. Every month, subscribers receive two new pairs of Sharing Small Socks in the mail, and for every pair sent to a subscriber, we donate a pair to a child in need.
How it Works:
Every month, Sharing Small mails your child new socks that will spark their imagination, warm their feet, and open their hearts. Here’s what’s in each package:
- Excellent Socks –Two new pairs of socks featuring the Sharing Small Explorers on a fun adventure, with new designs each month!
- Fun Experience –A matching postcard from the Explorers talking about their most recent adventure!
- Lesson On Empathy –Â For every pair of socks your child receives, we donate a pair to a child in need.
Inspiring Imagination
Children are natural explorers and adventurers, so Sharing Small created a line of products that engage that part of their imagination. The “Sharing Small Explorers” (the two stick-figures on all of our products), are there to inspire your child to use their imagination and set goals for themselves. An explorer can be anyone and can have any goal, and that’s what the Explorers represent.
Teaching Empathy
Each month, the package Sharing Small send your child contains a reminder that a child in need will receive a donated pair of socks, thanks to them. They see this as a teachable moment, and an opportunity to discuss community and charity with your child. Also included is a postcard from the Sharing Small Explorers that contains a short story intended to prompt a discussion about other important values.
Our Experience with Sharing Small
Do you remember when you were a child – the excitement of getting something in the mail that was addressed to you? Well, apparently that feeling is still alive and well, even in the age of our kids being electronic citizens. Both Evey & Gabe were very excited to see they had mail and, as you can see, couldn’t wait to get their envelopes open:
Inside the envelope, as well as the socks, were a dinosaur picture & a second copy in outline form to color in yourself. There was also a letter that was individually addressed to each child and told the story of that month’s adventure, traveling back in time and being chased by a T-Rex. Finally, there was a Sharing Small sticker with the Sharing Small stick figures being chased by the T-Rex.
Then, of course, were the socks- two pairs in each envelope. This has been very useful because we can alternate the pairs – one pair in the washing machine and one pair on Gabe’s feet. He has really taken a shine to them and loves the T-Rex chasing the Sharing Small people across his feet! From a practical perspective, I can tell you that we have had these socks for six weeks now and they have worn really well. They keep their size and shape in the wash and Gabes have just started to show some signs of wear at the heels – which isn’t bad considering he wears them almost all day every day and runs around the house in them for hours on end. I would certainly be happy to endorse them as good quality socks!
Evey, as you can see, had her socks on straight away. She is a big fan of socks and has a couple of dozen pairs. Ask her what she might like for a treat, and she will ask for socks every time.We just hope it doesn’t evolve into an expensive shoe habit when she gets older!
After the excitement had died down a little, we sat and read the letters and talked about how, because they had received these socks, another child somewhere, who really needed them, would also receive a pair. Evey’s first question was “Is it a little boy or a little girl?” quickly followed by “And whats their name?”. We explained that we didn’t know that but what we did know was that some children don’t have enough warm clothes in the same way as some don’t have enough to eat (we have talked about food banks and hunger before, and she has a good grasp on this subject already). Gabe, being the thoughtful little angel he is made his ‘sad sound’ and gave me his sock and said ‘cold’ (For those of you that aren’t aware Gabe lives with autism and although he is ‘non-verbal’ he is the clearest demonstration ever that the idea of people with autism lacking empathy is totally wrong – I have never met a child who feels so much for others!).
We would certainly recommend Sharing Small. For only $10 per month, you get so much more than some socks. If you would like to find out more about the socks, the program or to subscribe just visit Sharing Small. You could also enter for the chance to win one of two six month subscriptions.
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