Do your kids volunteer?

[hippiemamato3]

My DD is 9 and a rising 5th grader. She does a lot of volunteer work through our church - stocking diapers for the "baby closet" at our church and manning the closet during open hours, giving diapers and clothing to young families in need of help. She also helps during weekly Bingo at our local nursing home, as a 1:1 helper with one of the elderly game players. Additionally, during the summer she helps run the nursery during church when there is no Sunday School program.

What do your kids do? Have they found a passion as a result?

[happi duck]

 

Some ways we volunteered: with a local nature preserve, a homeless shelter, working at charity rummage sales, a food pantry and personally raising money for causes.  They also did various things thru a church.

 

[LucyStoner]

My older son does a little volunteer tutoring and he helps cook and serves a meal to homeless teens somewhat regularly.  

My younger son helps at the food bag sorting center.  He also does whatever service projects his scout pack is doing.  

[KrissiK]

Yes, not on a regular basis, but my older ones help with VBS at church and they help with the games and such at the Halloween thing at church. Also, the youth directors have been really good at providing opportunities to serve for the youth, so a couple weeks ago oldest DS helped move furniture for a missionary family who came home for furlough. So, just stuff like that.

[historically accurate]

We've done some things as a family - food pantries, picking up stuff at a playground build, and organizing donations at a local shelter. My oldest volunteered at a kids' science museum for a couple of years. Another kid currently volunteers in the nursery at church. 

[Bambam]

My youngest serves as a teen attorney at teen court. She'd love to be lawyer, but all the lawyers advise her to find something else. They say she would be a good lawyer, but there is no money, and it is hard (which she has already seen from the exposure she has had).

She also volunteers at a children's theater. She loves helping but has absolutely 0 interest in acting. She thinks she will continue this activity when she goes off to college. 

[hippiemamato3]

53 minutes ago, heartlikealion said:

No and if it wasn't so difficult I would try to get ds and I over to a pantry that the church is involved with (I think they ask for volunteers once a month on a weekday morning). I know one mom that volunteers at a thrift store (I think they are closed when she goes in and helps sort?). I suspect one of her kids comes along, but I don't remember. It's out of our way and I have never been inside.

When you say stocking diapers, do you mean people drop them off and she organizes them? That is great that your dd found something to get involved in.

She and I are the purchasers for the diapers (it's our church's mission outreach program) and then sort, package, and distribute them to local families. 

[ScoutTN]

My kids help with many things at church: VBS, pew restocking, organizing children's ministry supplies. 

We volunteer at the Nature Center occasionally.

Dd volunteers at a local historical site as a jr. docent.  She and I have served in a local ministry to refugees. She does several service projects a year with her AHG troop; picking up trash is a favorite! Her youth group serves monthly at an afterschool program. 

Ds and I are about to begin volunteering at the zoo. 

[SKL]

Yes, it is something I have always wanted to be part of our lives, as it was before I had kids.  However, it's not easy finding volunteer gigs that can include younger kids.  They've done the following over the years, but none on a regular basis:

• Helping pack food baskets for the needy.
• Procuring and packing non-food items for soldiers, hospital patients, needy families, etc.
• Operation Christmas Child.  Includes packing and making crafts to include in the boxes.
• Planting projects at the national park.
• Clean-up project at local park.
• Caroling at a retirement home.
• Giving attention / exercise to shelter animals.
• Making cards for soldiers, shut-ins.
• Helping clean / prep facilities for use in future activities.
• Helping with younger kids at summer camps.
• Extra work at the barn where one kid rides.
• Probably other stuff I am not remembering offhand.

[Chris in VA]

My son went on home repair mission trips, as did my daughter. She also tutored elementary students once a week thru our church, and tutored  French students (taking French, not from France lol ).  It was a requirement for French Honor Society at her high school. 

[SamanthaCarter]

Mostly we do our volunteering as a family or in group contexts when it involves the kids. Theyre really too young (imo) to have an ongoing passion, so no passions found there, not yet. 

[EKS]

My son has volunteered with our local fire department for years.  Now that he's older, he's also been volunteering to be a camp counselor at a local camp.  And during the school year he volunteered as a basketball coach for a team of fourth graders.

[73349]

• Trash cleanups in parks via scouts.
• Occasional activity at either of our churches, as when the Sunday school class made lasagna for the Care Freezer, or making brown bag lunches to bring to a low-income senior apartment building.
• We've just joined the community service club of a local co-op (though not doing classes there). We now have on our fall calendar cleaning at the Ronald McDonald House, helping at a food pantry, and packing grocery bags of donations. We could've done Meals on Wheels if it worked with our schedule.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Dd started volunteering at the YMCA when she was 9 years old. She has logged well over 10,000 volunteer hours in all sorts of programs and events. 

[Carrie12345]

My daughters have done a little volunteering through our environmental education center (and have taken many classes/attended many events) and a whole lot of volunteering with our volunteer fire department.  It has absolutely impacted their future plans. One would like to be a paid firefighter and one is thinking paramedic.  Both consider enviro/conservation careers alternate possibilities.

My 11yo hasn't been allowed many opportunities to volunteer with animal shelters, but he is chomping at the bit.  He is the kid most likely to try to live in my basement with 20 cats and 10 dogs.  I am eager to get him active with shelters so he can learn that it would not be appropriate to start a zoo in my basement!

[....]

My teens are constantly doing volunteer work - that's one of the main reasons we keep schoolwork to "done by lunch".  The oldest 3 work one morning a week at an equestrian therapy center for special needs adults and kids.  They lead the horses, hold onto the rider as they walk, tack the horses, clean their hooves, brush their hair, bring the horses into and out of the barn, etc.  DD16 also works with a dog rescue (she's worked there for about 3 years).  She used to go to the facility and help clean, walk the dogs, etc.  But, now she mostly goes on the weekends to their adoption events and works to get the dogs adopted. She also fosters (we currently have a feral German shepherd) homeless or abused dogs and trains them/gets them ready to find a home.  She also does stuff on social media, but I'm not quite sure all the details.  I know she searches euthanasia lists at local shelters and then contacts specific rescues in the area to get the dogs rescued.  She also helps organize and work a walk/run for charity every spring that benefits the dog rescue.

I've finally gotten my teens registered for the Congressional Award, so all these things they do we are starting to record for one of the medals.     

[....]

2 hours ago, Carrie12345 said:

My 11yo hasn't been allowed many opportunities to volunteer with animal shelters, but he is chomping at the bit.  He is the kid most likely to try to live in my basement with 20 cats and 10 dogs.  I am eager to get him active with shelters so he can learn that it would not be appropriate to start a zoo in my basement!

 

About 4 years ago, dd16 wanted to volunteer with an animal rescue and we contacted everybody.  They ALL said "no", because she was too young.  One of the places said she could volunteer if a parent came in and worked the entire time too (yeah, not happening).  It took us months to find the dog rescue she currently works for.  She had just turned 13 and they had just opened and were desperate for help.  I think they were a little scared at first or thought she would show up a couple of times and never come back - Lol.

She's been working there for over 3 and a half years now.  And I listed in my above post all the stuff she does.  I'm glad they let her try.  She does an incredible amount of work for them.  She spent 5 hours yesterday helping set up and run an adoption event and meeting with a family who was interested in adopting her foster dog.    

Edited July 30, 2018 by Evanthe

[Hilltopmom]

My dd volunteered one full day per week in the children’s room at our local library on story time day last year. She was 14. It was great. We have an amazing new young children’s librarian & they really hit it off & she loved working with the kids.

oh and she is the TA for several younger kids dance classes per week

Edited July 30, 2018 by Hilltopmom

[Um_2_4]

Around here it took a while to find a place for volunteering (most 18+, 14 to 17 with a parent present all the time <oh, and I can't bring youngest with>). Our 4-H club does community service projects, but even those were hard to find since we have members from 9yo-18yo. Some would take the older kids, but not the younger kids.

This year our 4-H club is: 

• making cards for hospitalized kids
• making "snack packs" for local sheriff office on Law enforcement appreciation day
• making dog toys for local shelter
• doing local clean up day vis parks dept
• helping care for local senior center garden 1x a month
• make personal care bags to be handed out by local homeless agency

DS will begin teaching a computer class for seniors at the senior center next month. He is working on the congressional award also.

[J-rap]

Our children are all in their 20's now, but they volunteered some growing up and continue to do so.  We didn't look hard for something; it generally just happened naturally.  We enjoyed doing things as a family, and I realize that most of it was for shorter-term projects or events.  For example, helping organize the annual Walk for Hunger, serving the MS TRAM bike riders when they passed through our town, working on fundraising events for a group here that works to clean up the rivers in our part of the state, helping with local political campaigns, working in Feed Our Starving Children warehouses, babysitting at MOPS (taking care of young children while moms meet), working with a group that collects old bikes that people don't want and getting them repaired by volunteers so that they can be redistributed to people who can't afford one, helping at local nursing home special events, etc.  We did a lot of that as family, but once the kids were old enough and were comfortable, they did a lot of it on their own.  

The short-term projects actually worked out well for our kids/our family, because our family schedules were often a little crazy and changed from week to week. (So it was harder for us to commit to weekly ongoing volunteer work.)

I'd say that it certainly did contribute to our kids' spirit of helping others, and also helped ignite certain special interests -- not necessarily passions, but things they now are very tuned into and want to continue helping with as they're able.  It sometimes gave them opportunities to use their passions though.  Such as, my dd who likes to sing/play guitar could offer to do that at community fundraisers and nursing home special event entertainment, etc.

[hippiemamato3]

11 hours ago, heartlikealion said:

I hope the parish helps with the cost. There are usually coupons for many diapers if you aren't already using some. 

Oh yes - we use the church credit card. We just go purchase them weekly and everyone in the church gives donations, money, etc to the cause. It is a well funded and well loved mission. 

[BakersDozen]

So...um, no, we don't volunteer. If a friend needs yard/housework done we show up and blitz the project. We volunteered for years for church set up (6am) and tear down (while everyone else had left to eat lunch) but nothing official or organized. No medals or awards for my crew, lol. I should feel convicted, guilty, ashamed... Oh, wait! My girls are available as mama helpers. One daughter went with a woman who had oodles of errands to run but didn't want to get her 2 little ones in and out of the car. Not exactly a huge ministry but it was something, I guess.

[....]

On 7/29/2018 at 5:26 PM, peacelovehomeschooling said:

Edit:  for those whose kids are in high school....how do you keep up with and validate the hours volunteered for their HS records? is there a form you type up and have each supervisor at the volunteer organization sign to confirm the hours worked?

 

The equestrian therapy center my kids work at has a sign-in sheet and they record the number of hours the kids work.  I also just started a notebook, because we have to record their hours/activities for the Congressional award...and I'm really bad at record-keeping, so I'm trying to stay on top of it.  If you're interested in the Congressional award, they have a record book that you fill out and then a validator just signs it saying you did whatever is filled out on the sheet. 

[....]

On 7/29/2018 at 3:23 PM, Bambam said:

My youngest serves as a teen attorney at teen court. She'd love to be lawyer, but all the lawyers advise her to find something else. They say she would be a good lawyer, but there is no money, and it is hard (which she has already seen from the exposure she has had).

 

Yeah, my sister is an attorney.  It is a very hard field to work in.  A lot of stress.  ?

[Jean in Newcastle]

8 hours ago, BakersDozen said:

So...um, no, we don't volunteer. If a friend needs yard/housework done we show up and blitz the project. We volunteered for years for church set up (6am) and tear down (while everyone else had left to eat lunch) but nothing official or organized. No medals or awards for my crew, lol. I should feel convicted, guilty, ashamed... Oh, wait! My girls are available as mama helpers. One daughter went with a woman who had oodles of errands to run but didn't want to get her 2 little ones in and out of the car. Not exactly a huge ministry but it was something, I guess.

Why are you turning this into a competition?  No one else is doing that. 

[ScoutTN]

2 hours ago, Evanthe said:

 

The equestrian therapy center my kids work at has a sign-in sheet and they record the number of hours the kids work.  I also just started a notebook, because we have to record their hours/activities for the Congressional award...and I'm really bad at record-keeping, so I'm trying to stay on top of it.  If you're interested in the Congressional award, they have a record book that you fill out and then a validator just signs it saying you did whatever is filled out on the sheet. 

Is the "Congressional" the same thing as the President's Volunteer Service Award? 

For that, the non-profit organization that tracks your hrs. has to be registered. One cannot earn it independently. My Dd earned hers through her scouting organization. 

For older kids who serve and volunteer, it can be a good college app. item. That isn't why we serve, but it is nice to have some recognition sometimes. 

I appreciate that Dd's troop has a culture of community service, and I love seeing all the different ways the girls find to help people!

 

[Petrichor]

1 hour ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

Why are you turning this into a competition?  No one else is doing that. 

 

Meh, I was also feeling kind of guilty that my DS doesn't do any organized volunteer work. I haven't found anything in our area that we would both be interested in and available to do. We're allergic to animals and the local food bank doesn't allow kids under 16.

I do have DS pick up garbage on the ground when we see it, or move big sticks or rocks off of the trail/sidewalk that could trip someone.

DH and I are regular volunteers in our masjid, homeschool, and occasionally in our wider community. We're always available if a friend needs help moving a couch or needs babysitting, and I can only hope that my work makes DS see that it is normal and expected to work for the community to help make it a better place for everyone.

When he's old enough to do it (probably at least age 14 from what I've seen), I'll probably be expecting him to volunteer to tutor, work in the library, etc.

[Petrichor]

Oooh! just checked our library website and saw that they have a program that allows 10 yr olds to volunteer.

[Ravin]

On 7/29/2018 at 2:23 PM, Bambam said:

My youngest serves as a teen attorney at teen court. She'd love to be lawyer, but all the lawyers advise her to find something else. They say she would be a good lawyer, but there is no money, and it is hard (which she has already seen from the exposure she has had).

She also volunteers at a children's theater. She loves helping but has absolutely 0 interest in acting. She thinks she will continue this activity when she goes off to college. 

 

Those lawyers need to get over themselves. Yes, being an attorney is difficult, but that's not a reason not to do it if one has a passion for it and is good at it. And anyone who thinks there's "no money" should try comparing what they make to teacher salaries! ? 

My DD volunteers at the local library. She started doing that in 7th grade. They start at 12 I think.

Edited July 31, 2018 by Ravin

[Kassia]

Dd has been volunteering at our library for a few years (and was just offered a job there).  She also teaches Spanish online to other homeschooled students.  

 

 

[GoodGrief]

My older two had tons of volunteer experiences (including the teen attorney/youth court thing, which is great public speaking and educational work.)

My youngest is much less enthusiastic about community service though. Still working on that. ?

[GoodGrief]

38 minutes ago, Ravin said:

 

Those lawyers need to get over themselves. Yes, being an attorney is difficult, but that's not a reason not to do it if one has a passion for it and is good at it. And anyone who thinks there's "no money" should try comparing what they make to teacher salaries! ? 

 

Having seen plenty of attorneys struggle financially, I think there is something to the caution. It can be tough to find jobs and there is a fairly high educational expense, along with significant stress, depending on the area of expertise. My daughter recently decided against law school for mental health reasons, after spending a year investigating the field further.

[JoJosMom]

45 minutes ago, Ravin said:

 

Those lawyers need to get over themselves. Yes, being an attorney is difficult, but that's not a reason not to do it if one has a passion for it and is good at it. And anyone who thinks there's "no money" should try comparing what they make to teacher salaries! ? 

My DD volunteers at the local library. She started doing that in 7th grade. They start at 12 I think.

 

No.

I was passionate and very, very good. I am also so, so done and would not generally recommend the profession to a young person. Perhaps you might feel differently after you have practiced for a couple of decades?

 

For the OP: My DD volunteers at our local library as a tutor and as a shelver. The library keeps track of volunteer hours, should anyone want that information. She also helps out with the preschooler Sunday School class, but I consider that more service than volunteer hours (it's necessary for the regular function of the church.)

Edited July 31, 2018 by JoJosMom

[TravelingChris]

Currently two of my kids volunteer but middle has done so in the past as an adult and I figure once her life becomes a little less hectic, she will again (she is trying to help husband and brother get jobs)  Oldest volunteers so much it is basically a second job for him.  Youngest just spent a week volunteering at a girls coding camp.  

[BakersDozen]

6 hours ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

Why are you turning this into a competition?  No one else is doing that. 

Oh gosh, I in no way intended it to be that! I'm squirming as I read what others are doing because I've totally dropped the ball and I should care more and do more. It doesn't even cross my mind to have my kids volunteer at a library, nursing home, etc. So if there is any competition mentality it's only in that I totally failed this important part of life. And yet honestly that is as far as it will go, I'm afraid...I can't even claim that I will make something happen in the way of volunteering. Maybe I'll have my kids read this thread and they will come up with something...keep me accountable to acting on my squirming. ?

[J-rap]

5 hours ago, Petrichor said:

 

Meh, I was also feeling kind of guilty that my DS doesn't do any organized volunteer work. I haven't found anything in our area that we would both be interested in and available to do. We're allergic to animals and the local food bank doesn't allow kids under 16.

I do have DS pick up garbage on the ground when we see it, or move big sticks or rocks off of the trail/sidewalk that could trip someone.

DH and I are regular volunteers in our masjid, homeschool, and occasionally in our wider community. We're always available if a friend needs help moving a couch or needs babysitting, and I can only hope that my work makes DS see that it is normal and expected to work for the community to help make it a better place for everyone.

When he's old enough to do it (probably at least age 14 from what I've seen), I'll probably be expecting him to volunteer to tutor, work in the library, etc.

That sounds like volunteering to me!  The spirit of helping others doesn't need to be done through organized volunteer work.

[SamanthaCarter]

6 hours ago, Petrichor said:

 

Meh, I was also feeling kind of guilty that my DS doesn't do any organized volunteer work. I haven't found anything in our area that we would both be interested in and available to do. We're allergic to animals and the local food bank doesn't allow kids under 16.

I do have DS pick up garbage on the ground when we see it, or move big sticks or rocks off of the trail/sidewalk that could trip someone.

DH and I are regular volunteers in our masjid, homeschool, and occasionally in our wider community. We're always available if a friend needs help moving a couch or needs babysitting, and I can only hope that my work makes DS see that it is normal and expected to work for the community to help make it a better place for everyone.

When he's old enough to do it (probably at least age 14 from what I've seen), I'll probably be expecting him to volunteer to tutor, work in the library, etc.

I’m a firm believer that kids that *see* thier parents serve thier church and/or community grow up doing the same. It’s a normal part of life. 

[nixpix5]

We try to instill volunteering both internally and externally. They do a lot of volunteering at church. They work weekly at the homeless dinners serving and chatting with people. They take part in clothing, food, toy, and book drives throughout the year. My DD is especially passionate about serving others so she makes care packages we keep in the car and hand out to people in need when we see them. 

By internal I mean I also expect when they are alone and see litter on the ground or a lost child etc that their heart pulls them to do the right thing when nobody is watching. They  are only 8 and 7 right now so I know this comes with time, I just try to set an example of service to others. 

[....]

1 hour ago, Seasider too said:

There shouldn't be a contest, it's wonderful to have children that are naturally generous with their time. But since many scholarship applications include volunteer service as a component, it's relevant to discuss counting them on a forum such as this. 

 

I think it's awesome when kids get out and do this kind of thing!  Also, anything to get them off the XBOX...lol

[....]

3 hours ago, BakersDozen said:

Oh gosh, I in no way intended it to be that! I'm squirming as I read what others are doing because I've totally dropped the ball and I should care more and do more. It doesn't even cross my mind to have my kids volunteer at a library, nursing home, etc. So if there is any competition mentality it's only in that I totally failed this important part of life. And yet honestly that is as far as it will go, I'm afraid...I can't even claim that I will make something happen in the way of volunteering. Maybe I'll have my kids read this thread and they will come up with something...keep me accountable to acting on my squirming. ?

 

Well, we never did volunteer work as kids.  *shrug*  I think it pops up on people's radar when the kid has some *really* specific interest (like my dd and the dog rescue) and they pester the parents to help them find a place to volunteer at (that's what happened in our house - lol).  Or, if the kids are trying to get into some really selective college programs or earn scholarships - that can steer kids into realizing they need to get out there and do some stuff.  Several of mine are interested in becoming doctors and one wants to go to nursing school.  From what I've heard, medical schools want to see that you've done some volunteer work in the community.

About the Congressional Award...  So, they pick an advisor and a validator and they set goals in different categories: Physical Fitness, Personal Development (learning a new skill), Volunteer Work and they have to plan and go on a trip.  Anyway, it sounds cheesy, but my teens got really excited about it!  I posted about this on here a couple of times, but dd16 and I were in a horrible car accident about a year and a half ago (we got hit head-on on the highway).  Her knees hit the dashboard so hard that it tore her ACL in one knee and another tendon in the other knee.  She had surgery, physical therapy, etc.  Lost a bunch of muscle mass, as in...you could see one leg was much smaller than the other.  She has been excited to set a Physical Fitness goal, so she can get back into shape.  We're also happy, because it's getting her out of her bed/off the couch.  She went trail hiking for the first time since the car accident this morning because she set a physical fitness goal and got excited!  (I probably sound like a Congressional Award salesperson or something....Lol)  

[mathnerd]

My son is a volunteer teaching assistant to younger kids through a local organization. They suggested that since my son was volunteering anyway, he could enter his hours accrued towards the Presidential Volunteer Service Award. In addition to that, he also volunteers to do yard work (cleaning trash, trimming hedges, raking leaves etc.) on the grounds of a non-profit organization that is close to my house.

[linders]

Responding to the "found a passion" question...

Both DSs have volunteered a lot over the years - soup kitchen, Secret Santa, VBS leaders, outdoor scout projects, etc. Earlier this summer, they had the chance to go on a week-long trip a few hours away to help repair/rebuild homes for the elderly. DS17 loved it. He was ripping up rotted flooring and replacing joists, building handicapped ramps, repairing roofs, etc. It drew on the skills he has learned helping DH with home repair projects. He loved it so much that he signed up the next week to go out to the coast and repair homes damaged by the hurricanes. 

And now, on his college visits the past two weeks, he has noticed a couple of places that have Habitat for Humanity clubs that support the local community, and he is planning on doing that throughout college.

[hippiemamato3]

2 hours ago, linders said:

Responding to the "found a passion" question...

Both DSs have volunteered a lot over the years - soup kitchen, Secret Santa, VBS leaders, outdoor scout projects, etc. Earlier this summer, they had the chance to go on a week-long trip a few hours away to help repair/rebuild homes for the elderly. DS17 loved it. He was ripping up rotted flooring and replacing joists, building handicapped ramps, repairing roofs, etc. It drew on the skills he has learned helping DH with home repair projects. He loved it so much that he signed up the next week to go out to the coast and repair homes damaged by the hurricanes. 

And now, on his college visits the past two weeks, he has noticed a couple of places that have Habitat for Humanity clubs that support the local community, and he is planning on doing that throughout college.

 

That's awesome!!