We all want to raise children who have a sense of community and want to help those around them. In this article we will explore ways for your whole family to get involved in the community in which you live. You may just find with a little encouragement on your part your children may be blossoming philanthropists.
Reaching out to neighbors
A simple way to start is in your own neighborhood. Do you have any elderly neighbors who might be grateful of a helping hand? Chores that may be simple for your kids to do may be of enormous help to an elderly neighbor. Things such as taking trash cans to the road for pick up and returning the cans when emptied, unloading groceries from the car or raking fall leaves are examples of things your kids could do to make the lives of their neighbors easier. Not only will your kids be helping someone but they may also create friendships with neighbors who can share some priceless wisdom with them.
Cleaning Local Parks
The parks in your community are a valuable resource to be shared by everyone in the community. The sad fact is not everyone who uses the parks treat them with the respect they deserve. Over time our parks can accumulate a lot of trash and litter. Someone has to clean all that up or the Park might start to resemble a landfill. On a nice day gather your family and head to your local park armed with trash bags and gloves do a trash pickup. Choose an area of the park and work as a team to clean it of trash and debris. This will help to give your children a sense of pride for the changes they have made to a place they love to visit. It might even make them think twice before tossing a candy wrapper or soda can on the ground.
Holiday Cards
Another ideal way to help bring cheer to others in the community is to make holiday greeting cards to pass out at a nursing home. Many residents of nursing homes get very few visitors. Call ahead and make arrangements with the staff for a time and date of your visit and the number of cards you should make. These cards don’t have to elaborate, just get out your craft box and get creative. Your kids will have fun making the cards and the senior citizens who receive them will be grateful for the unexpected gift.
There are many ways you and your family can make a difference in the community in which you live. As parents we need to do all we can to make the world a better place for our children.
The Package From Santa blog is designed to provide helpful tips and ideas for parents. We include information on a variety of topics, including everything from holiday decorations to kids’ health.
