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Encouraging Community Service
A Lesson in Perspective and Personal Discovery
By Laura Paul
White says parents can encourage their children to volunteer by setting a good example. Make volunteering a family affair, she says.
Parents need to be educated about what is going on in the community so they can sit down and have a real conversation with their children. "Then it can really be not only a bonding experience for the parent and their child, but also an enlightening experience that both of them can go through together," White says. "Many parents have lost touch with things beyond their job and their neighborhood, as well."
Several organizations sponsor family volunteer days and encourage families to organize service projects for their communities. Visit VolunteerMatch.com for ideas. White says another great resource for local volunteerism is through churches, synagogues and youth groups.
"A lot of times there are already well-organized youth groups that are doing all kinds of different volunteerism [and] advocacy, and for parents to really become aware of those youth groups and then encourage their kids to get involved in it can be helpful especially if the parent is maybe a single parent and does not have the kind of time it would take to really invest in volunteerism themselves," she says.
Children gain perspective on life by volunteering. It also beats boredom during the tumultuous preteen and teen years. Volunteering can also help children overcome feelings of loss when someone close has passed away.
To start, help your child find volunteer opportunities that match his personality and skills. Many kids instinctively want to help, and by helping, they feel better about themselves. The good is magnified when volunteerism becomes a family project.
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