How Volunteering Can Be a Family Affair
By: Dannon Eubanks

Did you know that volunteering can be a family affair? Besides it being a free way to entertain your child, there are real benefits to volunteering together. There are several ways to teach your child to build character and values, one of which is to model this behavior yourself and set a good example for your child. They suggest taking your child with you when you vote, discussing citizenship with them, and volunteering in community-building activities with your child. Engaging your child in community-building activities from an early age not only shows them how to act responsibly, but shows them that you, too, value civic responsibility. We all know how much children love to mimic what their parents do. They learn through seeing and through hands-on experience. Combining the two in a volunteering project sets the foundation for a lifetime of civic responsibility. Part of this civic responsibility involves understanding the disparity in cultures, lifestyles, and privileges.

There are ways to discuss social issues with your child, one of which is explaining to your child that there are ways they can help. These conversations can seem difficult to navigate, but are learning experiences for both the parent and the child, and are a great way to introduce them to volunteering. Parents, show your child how easy and rewarding it is to become a responsible citizen. Tell your kids about the benefits of volunteering. Tell them stories of when you have volunteered. Ask them what kind of volunteering they would like to do and then go do it. It can be as simple as making cards for children at St. Jude Childrenā€™s Research Hospital or as involved as making dinner and visiting with families staying at the Dorothy Day House. Ā Children absorb everything around them. Let them hear you talk about volunteering. Let them see you volunteering. Let them know that they can make a difference.

Remember, volunteering with your child has several benefits:

  • It teaches them about community issues, such as hunger and homelessness.
  • It shows them how they can help these issues, through family-friendly volunteer opportunities at Dorothy Day House or Jacobā€™s Well.
  • It sets the foundation for a lifetime of civil engagement and responsibility.