Research says people who give to charity when they are children may become happier as adults, and they may grow closer to their families as well.
According to the report, 48 percent of people who experienced strong giving traditions during their childhood consider themselves to be very happy adults, compared to 33 percent of those who did not grow up with such strong traditions.
They are also more likely to have closer family ties (81 percent), when compared with those who do not have a history of charity (71 percent), according to the study of 3,000 individuals who give to charity and who itemized their taxes for 2017.
Forty-five percent of respondents who grew up with strong giving traditions donate $5,000 or more to charity annually, and 89 percent volunteer an average of eight hours a month. Thirty-eight percent said their current giving habits were inspired by their parents.