how to teach kids to volunteer Bible family discipleship parenting

Teaching kids to volunteer

I’m choosing to post this today, July 4, because I think volunteering is one of the principles our country was founded on.  Large numbers of the men who fought for our independence took no paycheck, they fought because they believed it was right.  To this day the United States is still a country that leads in volunteering and in charity.  I want my kids to be leaders in this area, I consider this to be a matter of family discipleship.  So I am teaching kids to volunteer, not just mine, but all of the students I teach in my Sunday School.

Teaching your child to serve others

Every Sunday morning I teach Sunday School at my church.  We come into our classroom, which is 1/3 of a basketball gym, and there is nothing set up.  We meet in a YMCA, and there is a crew of big burly men who do most of the hard work of setting up the worship service and putting up lots of curtains to divide rooms up.  But, the individual classroom are set up by the teachers.

teaching kids to volunteer not just serious

This is my view every Sunday morning as I finish my breakfast.  Jeff carries in huge stacks of chairs, and the kids pull them apart and put them around tables.  They help happily.

Why do they help happily?  Because they see their parents serving.

how to teach kids to volunteer Bible family discipleship parenting

They see us get up every Sunday and do it.  They see us during the week working on our lesson and practicing it on them.

They see me pick up trash I see in the street and throw it away, even if it’s not mine.  Why?  Because it’s my calling to care for the earth.  Why?  Because God called me to be a steward, I am to keep it and care for it.

So now because the kids have seen me pick up trash for years, they pick up trash they see in the street.  They don’t usually randomly drop it on the ground, there are those times they do, but it’s becoming less often.

When I read Mom Connection, I realized I wanted to work on how we’re giving back to the community that has given much to us.  As I started to think on it more, I’ve realized we are giving back already.  Now, I need to refine this and make it more structured.  One of my plans is to bring a plastic bag with me when we go to the park to put the random trash we find in to.

It’s a small thing, but it’s one we can do.  Do you have a small step you’re going to work on?  Are you teaching kids to volunteer?

teaching kids to volunteer you set the example

Comments

16 responses to “Teaching kids to volunteer”

  1. Debbie Avatar
    Debbie

    Great post. We do our part too. While no, I do not allow Selena to pick up random trash, for the sake of germs or what type of trash it might be, she is taught not to add to that trash. She shares happily in the beautifying of our landscaping, donates her clothing to others, understands recycling, and helping others.

    1. Ticia Avatar
      Ticia

      Mainly the trash they pick up is paper or things that I can identify what it is. Nothing breakable.

  2. MaryAnne K Avatar
    MaryAnne K

    Kids learn so much by example – and those early lessons last forever!

    Thanks for linking up to Learning Laboratory!

    1. Ticia Avatar
      Ticia

      That's what I'm hoping for!

  3. Sheila Avatar
    Sheila

    Awesome, Ticia! So glad that your children are learning to do things without expecting anything in return.

  4. Awesome post, Ticia. I go back and forth on garbage pickup for the same reasons Debbie mentioned. A couple of times we went on garbage pickup missions fully equipped – with gloves and plastic bags. I am always sad seeing litter even in a middle class community like ours.

  5. Joyful Learner Avatar
    Joyful Learner

    What great role models for your children! We don't pick up random trash either but now I may carry plastic bags for that reason.

  6. Annette W. Avatar
    Annette W.

    Loved this post!

  7. An Almost Unschooling Mom Avatar
    An Almost Unschooling Mom

    We're pretty good at volunteering at church and the children are following that lead, but I could show improvement at giving back to and being involved in our community. Germs aren't a big issue in Montana, yet – people have a sort of “the strong survive” attitude – so maybe will start with picking up more garbage 🙂

  8. JDaniel4's Mom Avatar
    JDaniel4’s Mom

    I love the idea of teaching children to reach out and help others early in life.

  9. […] I got you thinking about getting involved?  The number one thing, your kids won’t volunteer unless they see you volunteering, so get […]

  10. […] teaching my kids to volunteer because I think volunteering is one of the principles our country was founded on. By […]

  11. […] One of the most important part of their homeschool plans is finding volunteer opportunities for her teens. As long as her teens can remember, her family has been in a church plant. Ticia began teaching service to her preschoolers helping set up chairs at the YMCA where the church met. […]

  12. […] One of the most important part of their homeschool plans is finding volunteer opportunities for her teens. As long as her teens can remember, her family has been in a church plant. Ticia began teaching service to her preschoolers helping set up chairs at the YMCA where the church met. […]

  13. […] Church service (nursery, Sunday school, set up/clean up, sound systems, worship team, church office help) […]

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