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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
Mainly the trash they pick up is paper or things that I can identify what it is. Nothing breakable.
Kids learn so much by example – and those early lessons last forever!
Thanks for linking up to Learning Laboratory!
That's what I'm hoping for!
Awesome, Ticia! So glad that your children are learning to do things without expecting anything in return.
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.
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.
Loved this post!
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 🙂
I love the idea of teaching children to reach out and help others early in life.