Help Your Child Help Your Community
By Rachel Goldstein, Fri Dec 9th

As a parent, you probably want to guide your child to become ahealthy and ethical adult. How can you lead your child to ahealthy future? What kind of activities can you do together as afamily that will steer your child towards becoming acompassionate adult? Community service and Volunteerism are youranswer. Not only will you show your child that it is “cool” tocare for others, but it will also be a wonderful way to meet newpeople and possibly land scholarship money for college.

How do I get my child involved? Below are some ways to get yourchildren motivated to want to help. Avoid bribing and coercion,the mission is to get your child enthusiastic about helpingothers.

1.What do my parents do? – Children learn by example. If yourchild sees you volunteer, they will be more likely to want tovolunteer as well. It is also a great idea to involve your childin your own volunteering experience. 2.Find a meaningfulactivity – Each child has interests that can be converted in agreat volunteering experience. If your child is interested inart, match them up with an art charity(http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org). If your child isinterested in homelessness, match your child up with a homelessshelter. Once your child is matched with the right project, yourchild will encounter a rewarding experience that he or she willalways remember. 3.Involve friends and family – It might beeasier to involve your child if a friend is also involved. Somechildren might be shy and will want a peer to help soften theexperience. Also, with a friend, the project becomes morespecial and enjoyable. 4.Meaningful conversation first – Itmight be a good idea to watch the news together and see whatsparks your child interest. Sometimes seeing less fortunatepeople and suffrage can spark a child into wanting to volunteer.Also, bring up social issues and discuss them with your child.

What

are some web sites to find volunteering opportunities?

Kids for Community - http://www.kidsforcommunity.org/ FamilyVolunteering - http://www.1-800-volunteer.org/learn/family.jspVolunteer Match – http://www.volunteermatch.org SERVEnet -http://www.servenet.org/ Service Leader -http://www.serviceleader.org/new/virtual/index.php Do It -http://www.do-it.org.uk/youthnet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=445Worldwide Volunteering -http://www.worldwidevolunteering.org.uk/ Online Volunteering -http://www.onlinevolunteering.org/

Can volunteering really be good for my child?

You bet it can! It has been proven by researchers that a child’sself-esteem is boosted when taking on altruisticresponsibilities. When children help others, they will begin tounderstand that they have the strength to make a real differencein their world…and this is a great feeling. Another enormousbenefit of volunteering is that a child will gain a deeperunderstanding of the needs and wants of others. Researchers havealso noticed that children who volunteer might gain increasedacademic skills, including critical thinking and problem solvingskills. Another added benefit is that your child might realizewhat he or she wants to pursue as a career. I run ArtistsHelping Children – http://www.ArtistsHelpingChildren.org - Anon-profit dedicated to bringing comfort to children inhospitals, clinics, and shelters by brightening theirenvironment with murals, artwork, toys, and art supplies. If youare interested in getting involved and volunteering for us,please email us at allfreelance@comcast.net and let us know howyou would like to help. Thanks! So what are you waiting for? Getout there and get involved. Good luck!!

About the author:Rachel Goldstein is founder ofhttp://www.ArtistsHelpingChildren.org - A non-profit charitydedicated to bringing comfort to children in hospitals, clinics,and shelters by brightening their environment with murals,artwork, toys, and art supplies.