advice for parents and other caregivers is to role-model volunteerism for your kids, start early, and give positive reinforcement when your children share their time and talent. These strategies will result in their cultivated sense of social justice, a compassion for others, and evidence of teamwork, time-management and leadership skills — all of which will benefi t them in the future.
Be a Role Model Parents and other caregivers are a child’s fi rst, best teachers. Kids are watching and learning all the time, and adults can show even the youngest child how easy it is to help others. Kids younger than age three are challenged developmentally to share with others, but care- givers who encourage sharing, demonstrate how to share, and praise young kids when they do share are modeling the value of such behav- ior. As children get older, they are proud when their parents volunteer at school. Parents who participate in PTA, attend Open House, tutor, bake cookies and contribute any creative talent to the school, club or faith-based organization where children are active, provide an example kids will try to emulate. Adolescents may not seem interested in what their parents are doing to help others, but they are paying attention. I remember being shocked while serving soup at my teenage daughter’s school when her friend told me, “I wish my mom would come
Ready, Set, Grow
Kids are watching and learning all the time, and parents can show them how easy it is to share their time and talent
and serve lunch sometimes!” My daughter retorted, “I know, isn’t it cool my Mom is here helping!” Never would I have known she cared about my volunteer efforts, based on her nonchalant behavior each time I was serving at school, but her comments showed that my service mattered to her.
Start Early Pre-school kids are capable of volunteering. Alongside caregivers and older siblings, young children are eager to help with simple tasks such as picking up trash in the park, sorting po- tatoes at the food bank and serving snacks to the elderly. Starting early creates expectations that helping others and volunteering are nor- mal. The behaviors learned early are cultivated naturally through experience and fellowship with others. School-aged kids are tremendous volunteers with unlimited imagination, energy
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