The holiday season is upon us! It’s the most magical time of the year and a perfect time to begin the tradition of volunteering as a family.
Most people volunteer as adults. But there are many benefits to introducing volunteerism to kids from the early developmental years to school age and through the teens. Kids often have a natural sense of altruism and a desire to help others. Volunteering is a great way to give back, get involved, and fulfill that innate desire. The key is to find something that your family loves.
The holidays offer the opportunity to make a difference to others who are less fortunate. Traditional volunteer opportunities still exist, like helping at a soup kitchen, but the health pandemic has brought out creative and safe ways to volunteer. Since gratitude is a significant benefit of regular volunteering, why not cultivate some gratitude within your family this holiday season?
When you introduce kids to volunteering, you teach them a sense of gratitude. Often, volunteering involves helping others less fortunate. So, when kids see others who are not as lucky as they are, they develop a sense of understanding, appreciation, and thankfulness for what they do have. They gain a new appreciation for the food they eat, the clothes they wear, and the house they live in.
Volunteering can introduce kids to difficult topics like homelessness and hunger. Very Well Family provides a helpful guide on how to explain these concepts in terms kids will understand. These conversations not only teach your children about the world around them, but they are also opportunities to learn more about each other and various points of view.
Volunteering often teaches diversity, introducing kids to people of different ages, education, ethnicities, and backgrounds. Kids learn that each person is unique and that there is always something to learn from people who come from different backgrounds and situations.
Volunteering as a family brings additional rewards. Kids are great imitators. By volunteering with your kids, they see your empathy and compassion and are likely to mimic it in their own lives. The time spent together also creates memories and builds bonds.
Volunteering doesn’t have to be complicated or costly or time-consuming. Pbs.org suggests that volunteering should be enjoyable and simple to add to your family schedule. Even a young child can make a huge difference in someone else’s life by volunteering. The activity should fit your family’s personality and dynamic.
It may be difficult to find a volunteer activity or program that hasn’t been closed to volunteers or postponed due to COVID-19. Here’s a list of safe, simple, and fun ideas that can be done from home. Plus, working on a service project together as a family can bring a sense of control back to your life.
So, why not cultivate some gratitude within your family this holiday season? Giving feels good. After all, isn’t that what Thanksgiving is all about?
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