Sharing the Value of Volunteering With Your Child
This post is by regular contributor Tricia Hogbin of Little Eco Footprints.
Having volunteered regularly for most of my adult life, I’ve experienced the benefits first hand. Through volunteering I’ve learnt and strengthened skills, made friends, had fun, connected with my community, and have also travelled to some amazing places. My husband and I have been lucky enough to travel all-expenses-paid to India (me) and Lord Howe Island (him) through volunteering.
Despite having volunteered hundreds of hours over the years, I truly believe that I’ve gotten way more in return than I’ve ever given. Volunteering is an important aspect of my life and one that I want to share with my daughter. I’m hoping she’ll grow up thinking volunteering is a normal part of every day life.
She’s participated in Clean Up Australia Day every one of her four years. Here she is on the left at only 10 months old at her first clean-up. She spent most of it on my back in a sling, but the point is that she saw my husband and I contributing.
By the time she was almost two she was able to contribute herself, and now after four years she sees participating in Clean Up Australia Day as simply something we do without question.
I’ve taken her along on a number of community planting and field days that I’ve organised. The most recent she really enjoyed. She planted dozens of trees herself, watered them, and learnt about how plants grow and bush regeneration. She had loads of fun playing in the mud and enjoyed a free lunch.
Sadly, she was the only child there, which isn’t unusual. Most volunteers for environmental work seem to be over 50 these days. Where are all the young families? Why aren’t they volunteering? Do they realise what they are missing out on?
Three easy ways to share the value of volunteering with your child:
- Lead by example. Volunteer for your child’s school through the Parents and Citizens Association, join the committee for your child’s sporting clubs, or help out with whatever activities they enjoy, be it Surf Life Saving, Scouts, or Girl Guides.
- Participate in community days like National Tree Day and Clean Up Australia Day.
- Volunteer for a local charity. Pop in and ask them how you can help. Perhaps you could help serve a meal to the homeless once a month?
Do you volunteer? Are you sharing the value of volunteering with your child?
This post is sponsored by Modern Little Munchkins. Support those who help to make Childhood 101 possible!
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Thank you for this thought provoking post. I was just trying to coordinate a babysitter so that I could volunteer at my local garden for the hungry. Now I plan to bring my little one along. I was worried he would need too much help and supervision for us to be helpful, now I realize I was thinking about the whole thing in the wrong way. Creating a life long volunteer is the most important way I can help.
I’m sure your son will have a ball Carla. And i’m sure the other volunteers will be thrilled to have a young one along. Enjoy.
This is hugely important! Volunteering should be “something we do” from the start of life. I volunteer and I bring even the baby strapped on me. The kids do whatever they can in an age-appropriate way.
Great post–I will be sharing!
Thanks Candace. Yep, I think far too many parents wait until their kids ‘are older’ before they volunteer. But by then the kids have missed the opportunity to learn that volunteering is ‘the norm’.
Like you, I have volunteered for as long as I can remember. I have just hung up my volunteering boots for out local Multiple Birth Association however as I can’t seem to fit in the regular contribution. I will definitely continue to do clean up day and other community activities with my kids. My kids see me and the Geege do lots of things for others and they get that helping the community is an important, integral part of life. Little Eco is one lucky girl Tricia!
I know what you mean about struggling with ‘regular contribution’. I feel guilty about that. My enthusiasm and time for volunteerng comes and goes. But I guess any little contribution helps.
PS The over 50s set are the only ones bushwalking these days too. Thank God for grey Nomads! x
What a challenging post Tricia. Love the pictures. Given me something to think about.
The concept of volunteering is so important to society. For many years when I was younger I was a leader of a girl guide unit, but moved away from the area. At the moment I would find it challenging to have the extra time to be involved but I know that as my children grow older I will love to get back into something like this, I think it is really important for adults and kids alike to help others through volunteering.
Since I was little (and more then likely before I was born) both my parents and grandparents have volunteered their time. Now my boys know that Mummy’s ‘job’ is not a paid one but one that I am passionate about – I coordinate the local home and natural birth support group. My 5 year old knows that by supporting others it makes mummy feel better about herself and the rest of the world, which makes for a better family in the long run. We have also participate in Clean Up Australia Day each year, my Mum used organise Clean Up Australia in my home town. Without volunteers not much would get done.
Volunteering with my girl certainly enhances my enjoyment of the experience too. I’m looking forward to expanded opportunities as she grows up. We are regular volunteers for our neighborhood park work days. And last night I had her volunteer with me to do clean-up after a preschool party. It was just an hour but I can see it made an impression on her and she felt good about participating.
A great post. I have volunteered throughout my adult life & love it. I have stopped due to having bub but have recently wanted to get back involved. I have found it both annoying and counterproductive that I’m not allowed to bring my toddler along when enquiring about positions. While I understand some environments aren’t suitable or safe for children, SAHP are a untapped resource in our community and there’s no better time then to foster a live of participation & giving then when a chid is young. This is something I’m hoping to address on a large scale in the near future.
Lots of volunteering in my life, currently run a weekly Landcare program at the local school a day a week. Little one comes along sometimes although not always easy when she’s there, getting better as she gets closer to 3. Some organisations make children unwelcome at meetings and even during activities, this is not a winner when attracting young families. I think sometimes those over 50s get a bit too used to the quiet.