Do you volunteer? Where?

[Mallory]

We don't belong to a homeschool group, or a co-op, so really it is our social time.

We volunteer a lot. I have been trying to decide if we want to do more.

 

Two mornings a week I go to a pregnancy center/food pantry. Usually the big kids come one day and have a free time the other.

 

I am also very involved in our boy scouts troop (asst. cubmaster and webelos leader). This is actually one I may quit. I hope that we can find a Boy Scout Troop that has some other active leaders and maybe I can take a back seat. I am also thinking I just might stop after Feb, when my 4th grader gets his webelos and take a year off of cubs before my youngest starts back up.

 

My 15yo goes two afternoons a week to volunteer at an afterschool program. I'd love to spend more time helping here (it is a free afterschool program and they could use some more help), but so far just sis has been going.

 

I'd also love to get a LLL group started in our county. I am very close to completing my leadership. But it is hard to get done.

 

Does anyone else enjoy volunteering? Do your kids do much? Is there something great you are doing?

[Dolphin]

My 3rd grade son volunteers at an autistic school once a week. These schools usually love volunteers and my son loves it. We also volunteer together at the local food bank.

[dm379]

I think I'm probably the only person on this board that doesn't volunteer. Last year I did a ton but it was all connected to the ps the kids went to. Right now I'm just trying to keep my head above water with all that's going on.

[Kate in Arabia]

The kids and I volunteer two mornings a week at our local animal shelter. In the beginning the shelter was still coming together, so we had a lot of hard work on our visits -- cleaning all the rooms, feeding, walking, etc. Now that they are more established and have dedicated, paid staff, our tasks are more socializing the dogs -- walking, playing, sometimes bathing.

[Jamee]

We are also very much involved in scouts and I'm just about burnt out with that. I've been a leader and on the board for the past three years now. I help out with the school when I can too.

 

Last year, DS volunteered to help with the art program that was done at the elementary school. Our friends were volunteering so the kids would have an art program and it was a good fit for him. I've been trying to think of something he can do this year as well, but not much yet.

[Kareni]

Starting in 7th grade, my daughter and I volunteered at the local public library. My daughter also volunteered several times a year with her father at each of the postal food drives.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Ester Maria]

I think I'm probably the only person on this board that doesn't volunteer.

You're not.

 

As a family we have always preferred helping via money than via our own work - that doesn't mean that none of us ever volunteered anywhere, but it's not something that we did/do on a regular basis.

[Mallory]

I think I'm probably the only person on this board that doesn't volunteer. Last year I did a ton but it was all connected to the ps the kids went to. Right now I'm just trying to keep my head above water with all that's going on.

 

I think part of my wondering in general is if volunteering is worth our time??? Would we be better off at home? Would my kids be better off if pretty much the only time they got out of the house was at Scouts??? Since we don't go to school or church or any homeschooling groups is this work in our community important enough???

 

The kids and I volunteer two mornings a week at our local animal shelter.

Ooohhh, the animal shelter sounds fun. I have been thinking about fostering animals though. Maybe I should look into that more, it wouldn't even take us away from home.

 

Starting in 7th grade, my daughter and I volunteered at the local public library.

I'd love to volunteer at the library, in fact since about 5th grade I have almost always volunteered at a library, but the librarian here is so grumpy I don't even go to the library in our town. :glare:

[Melissa B]

We volunteer at the YMCA. It is worth it for our family. We don't participate in any homeschool or church groups either. The kids get a lot out of the sports and activities at the Y and they are always in need of volunteers to keep things running.