Kids grow out of shoes so damn fast – their little clodhoppers change shape so rapidly that keeping them in shoes is a difficult proposition indeed. But for some people in developing nations, keeping their kids in shoes is difficult for other reasons entirely. That’s why, when we buy shoes for Henry (or as gifts for other kids), we try to always buy Tom’s. The company was started with a very simple mission – for every pair you buy, they donate a pair to a needy person in a third world country. No strings attached, plain and simple. Plus they look cool – Henry gets tons of compliments on his buffalo shoes (pictured).

 

Are you considering purchasing a computer for your child? Why not give one to somebody else as well?

You may have heard about the One Laptop Per Child project – a massively funded charitable organization that is endeavoring to distribute computers to children in undeveloped nations to help them reach a higher level of technological competency and participate in the global job market.

After many years of development, the laptop is now on the market, and it’s pretty great. The XO retails for $399, which includes not only the machine for your household, but also one donated to a kid elsewhere in the world. And you get a lot for the money – the durable, wireless-enabled machines run a proprietary operating system called Sugar that comes loaded with programs to make art, music, science experiments and more. We have one in our house and I give it my highest possible recommendation, both as a piece of hardware and as a moral choice.