How to Get Your Kids Involved in Volunteering
There are many things that parents hope to teach their children. The hope for parents is that they can teach their children to become good, caring, and contributing members of society. To do so is the main challenge of parenthood. One of the most important legacies a parent can leave their children is a legacy of kindness to others and service to their community. Read on to learn how to get your kids involved in service and in the community!
Make Service to Others a Family Affair As the most influential role models and best teachers for children, parents must constantly lead by example. Since children are often best at visual learning, they look to their parents for what they should do. Instead of telling your children they should help others, you should get involved in helping others with your children. Your involvement will mean that your children will be more likely to participate.
Explain Why Service Is Important While kids are visual learners, it is important to reinforce the message that helping others is an important part of the human experience. Explain to your kids about people who have to do without, which is something children don’t normally recognize. Teach your kids how to lend a helping hand to people who are in need.
Maintain Involvement Children learn best from repetition, and people who are in need could use help multiple times a year. Make sure that you find community volunteer work that can be done frequently in order to teach your kid the necessity of helping others. By contributing multiple times in a year, you teach your children that constant involvement is extremely important.
Get Your Kids Involved Like watching their role models, kids learn from actually participating in activities. By finding community service projects in which your kids can be involved, you make sure that they are included in helping others. Consider your kids strengths and play to them. Maybe you kids love sports and you have some old sport equipment hanging around. Have them help you donate the equipment or give it to kids in need. Have your kids participate in helping you pack backpacks for kids in need. Get them involved.
Provide Service Daily You don’t have to go on community service projects daily, but you can teach your children that participating in little acts of kindness everyday help make the world a better place. If the opportunity is presented to them to do good, they should do it. There are little ways to show kindness each day, like buying lunch for a kid who forgot their own, or holding the door open for others. Teach your children that acts of kindness aren’t something you do once a month or once a year but rather part of every day. Show your children that even in moments of loss or pain, even opening your arms for a hug or listening to someone can be more beneficial than they know. This is the legacy you will leave for the future. Make it a good one!