{"id":1885,"date":"2011-06-26T10:45:02","date_gmt":"2011-06-26T14:45:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/candostreet.com\/blog-parents\/?p=1885"},"modified":"2011-06-26T09:13:56","modified_gmt":"2011-06-26T13:13:56","slug":"volunteering-compassion-building-in-children","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/candostreetny.com\/blog-parents\/volunteering-compassion-building-in-children\/","title":{"rendered":"Volunteering&#8230;Compassion Building in Children"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"color: #003366;\"><span style=\"color: #003366;\"><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: medium;\"><em><a href=\"https:\/\/candostreet.com\/blog-parents\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/circle-all-left8.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1910\" title=\"circle-all-left8\" src=\"https:\/\/candostreet.com\/blog-parents\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/circle-all-left8-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a><\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #003366;\"><span style=\"color: #003366;\"><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: medium;\"><em>The following article is reprinted with the permission of Kelly Palmatier as it appears with the title <\/em><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #003366;\"><em>of Volunteering                    with Children<\/em><\/span><em><span style=\"color: #003366;\"> on the site, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.compassionatekids.com\" target=\"_blank\">compassionatekids.com<\/a><\/span><br \/>\n<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #003366;\"><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: medium;\"> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span style=\"color: #003366;\"><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: medium;\"><em> <\/em><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: xx-small;\"> <\/span><em><strong><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">Volunteering with                    children is a great way to help them learn about giving back.                    Children learn valuable skills while &#8220;on the job.&#8221;                    Home schooled students, who may have more time available for                    volunteering, could also enjoy the additional socialization                    opportunities presented through volunteering. Another benefit                    of volunteering is children learn about the concerns of the                    organization and what need it fills in the community.                    Consequently, the children also have an opportunity to                    remember what they have to be thankful for.<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h1>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">Work                    Together<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">It&#8217;s important to                    work side-by-side when volunteering with your child, since leading by example                    has been shown to be the most effective form of teaching.                    Children who see their parents volunteering are much more                    likely to believe in the value of working to help                    others.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">Naturally, working                    side-by-side with your child will allow you to assist him\/her                    when necessary, ensuring the child&#8217;s presence is a help, not a                    hindrance to the organization&#8217;s staff and other                    volunteers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">An                    additional benefit of working with your child as a volunteer                    is the bonding that occurs when people work together as a                    team. Also, when people are focused on a task, it sometimes                    fosters deep conversations that may not have occurred with                    more direct eye contact.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">Consider the Right                    Opportunity<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">When choosing a                    volunteering opportunity, it&#8217;s important to consider the                    following:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul type=\"square\">\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">Your Child&#8217;s                      Interests<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">Your                      Interests<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">Your Child&#8217;s                      Abilities<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">Your                      Abilities<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">Location,                      Frequency, &amp; Duration<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">Staff                      Attitude<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">Your Child&#8217;s                    Interests<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">If                    your child is clearly interested in a subject, it may be                    possible to use that interest as a springboard into                    volunteering: Children who construct a lot of forts or                    buildings with blocks may enjoy helping out a construction                    organization such as <a href=\"http:\/\/www.habitat.org\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Habitat for                    Humanity<\/span><\/a>; children who love animals my enjoy volunteering with                    animal organizations such as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hsus.org\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Humane                    Society<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">Your                    Interests<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">It&#8217;s also                    important to consider your own interests. Children look to                    their parents to help them discern how to respond to new                    stimuli. If you are bored while volunteering, your child will                    associate boredom with volunteering. Alternately, if you are                    passionate about your actions, your child will respond to that                    passion.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">Your Child&#8217;s                    Abilities<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">If                    your child is very young, it can be challenging to choose a                    volunteering opportunity that he\/she can actually help with.                    Fortunately, there are opportunities available that even very                    young children can do with a little parental                    guidance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">I                    started volunteering with my children when they were three and                    six years old. My older child could follow basic directions                    well with a small amount of supervision. However, my                    three-year-old was an energetic little boy with a young                    child&#8217;s motor skills and attention span.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">We                    were able to be successful volunteering at a local food pantry,                    where his sorting and counting skills worked quite well with                    close supervision and direction from me. I gave simple tasks                    such as taking two boxes of macaroni &amp; cheese from a shelf                    and putting them in each grocery bag. He was able to complete                    these tasks easily, while I added all the remaining                    groceries.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">Your                    Abilities<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">Just as your child                    will learn from your passion for volunteering, he\/she will                    benefit from seeing you work well in your element. For                    example, if you are especially skilled at home renovations,                    you may find a community restoration project to work on. This                    would allow you to share your skills while demonstrating the                    relevance volunteering has to many different careers and                    interests.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">Location,                    Frequency, &amp; Duration<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">Of                    course, it&#8217;s important to consider the basic logistics of any                    volunteering opportunity. If the opportunity is close by, a                    commitment to help out on a weekly basis may be fine. If it&#8217;s                    farther away, you may need to commit to helping on a monthly                    basis instead. It&#8217;s fine to increase your volunteering later,                    after you&#8217;ve tried it out and you know it works well for you,                    but be careful not to over-commit initially. Remember your                    child is already learning work ethics from this experience.                    You&#8217;ll want to ensure you arrive in a timely manner when                    you&#8217;re expected, only canceling or rescheduling when you truly                    have valid reasons and can give plenty of notice. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">Consider, too, the                    duration of each volunteer session. Older children may be fine                    with a few hours or more. However, younger children may need                    sessions to be kept short.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">We                    found our one-hour volunteer session at the food pantry each                    week worked well during the first 30 to 45 minutes of                    fast-paced grocery bag-filling. However, the remaining 15 to                    30 minutes of shelf-restocking were slow-paced enough that the                    three-year-old had trouble staying focused. It was an                    invitation for chaos. We handled it by simply leaving earlier                    until he was a little older and better-able to handle a full                    hour of volunteer work at a time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">Staff                    Attitude<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">The last item to                    consider is the attitude of other volunteers and the                    organization&#8217;s staff. Most people will appreciate your                    instilling a volunteer ethic in children at a young age, but                    you may find a few &#8220;sour apples&#8221; who focus more on the decibel                    level or other potential distractions. (In fact, many                    organizations may prohibit children under a certain                    age.)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">To                    some extent, the mission you&#8217;re on is more important than any                    individuals who may not appreciate your child&#8217;s input.                    However, be sure to consider the effect others&#8217; attitudes have                    on your child. If a child feels like a hindrance, volunteering                    will end up seeming like a chore rather than a joy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">Resources for                    Finding Volunteer Opportunities<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><em><strong><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">There are many                    ways you can learn about volunteering opportunities, including                    the following:<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n<ul type=\"square\">\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">Check with <a href=\"http:\/\/www.kab.org\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Keep America Beautiful<\/span><\/a> or other local organizations for community clean-up                      days.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">Consider raising                      vegetables or starting a canned food drive for your local                      food pantry.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">Check with local                      nursing homes for &#8220;toddler days.&#8221;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">Take on home                      baking projects for fundraising bake sales or meal delivery                      services.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">Ask your local                      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.uschamber.com\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Chamber of                      Commerce<\/span><\/a> for information about local organizations                      that may have volunteer opportunities.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">Call non-profit                      organizations you like and ask what you can do. They may                      have needs\/volunteer opportunities that you haven&#8217;t even                      thought of.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">Check for                      opportunities listed in national volunteer website databases                      such as <a href=\"http:\/\/www.volunteermatch.org\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">VolunteerMatch.org<\/span><\/a> (has a designation for kid-friendly opportunities) or <a href=\"http:\/\/www.idealist.org\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Idealist.org<\/span><\/a> (has                      designations for teen opportunities and under-age-12                      opportunities).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #003366;\"><em><strong><span style=\"font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,san serif; font-size: x-small;\">As                    with most parental\/educational pursuits, there are many                    factors to consider regarding volunteering with children, but                    a little effort can provide a lifetime of benefit for both the                    kids involved and for society.<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"wp-socializer wpsr-buttons\"><span class=\"wpsr-btn wpsr-srvc-facebook\"><div class=\"fb-share-button\" data-href=\"\" data-layout=\"button\"><\/div><\/span><span class=\"wpsr-btn wpsr-srvc-twitter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share\" class=\"twitter-share-button\" data-show-count=\"false\" data-related=\"\" data-url=\"\" data-size=\"small\" data-via=\"\" data-hashtags=\"\">Tweet<\/a><\/span><span class=\"wpsr-btn wpsr-srvc-google_plus\"><div class=\"g-plusone\" data-size=\"medium\" data-annotation=\"none\" ><\/div><\/span><span class=\"wpsr-btn wpsr-srvc-linkedin\"><script type=\"IN\/Share\" data-url=\"\" data-counter=\"none\"><\/script><\/span><span class=\"wpsr-btn wpsr-srvc-pocket\"><a data-pocket-label=\"pocket\" 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