Teach Your Daughter to Volunteer Day

Teach Your Daughter to Volunteer Day is celebrated on April 16^th every year.

Volunteering means to serve other people and give back to society. Families can come together and help other families build an inclusive community or neighborhood that thrives in an atmosphere of compassionate and understanding partnership.

The word "volunteer" may not mean much to your child, but even three-year-olds can learn the value of helping people and places in need. Now is the time to start making a lifelong commitment, not just during the holidays but year-round. Below are some helpful ways to get your child participated in community activities?

- Be a role model for dedication. Children love to imitate their parents, so let them follow your lead as a volunteer. Tanisha Smith, national director of volunteer service for American Volunteers said that two-thirds of young volunteers become actively volunteered people. When a parent or guardian is involved, the child often looks forward to more activity, and you can share this special time with your child. Community cleaning is a great way for the whole family to take part in, no matter what age they are. The best part is that your kids can feel the immediate impact when a street or park full of garbage suddenly becomes clean, says Smith, who is forever remembered cleaning the community with her parents when she he turned 5 years old.

- Find something fun. Community service is not a chore. Find something that your child or your family is interested in. It means you should find something that is suitable for your personality, as well as your family dynamic. Many kids love animals, so find an animal shelter or wildlife rescue in need of a food or towel donation, or allow volunteers to walk the dog. Furthermore, you can take a walk with your neighbor's dog. If you have a dog, let request a local nursing home whether you can take him to Fido for visiting or not.

- Find something easy. Volunteering doesn't have to take all day if you don't want to. Smith said that it could be as quick as you need it to be. She suggests choosing a gift for a toy drive or Apply the Family program when you've already bought someone else's gift. You can take five minutes and ask your child to remove toys and clothes from the house that they no longer use. Although children may at first object to giving up their possessions, they may be excited by the idea of ​​helping a child who does not have the same toys, especially one who will enjoy toys that are not shared with them. Your child is older.

- Make it part of the family schedule. Among our busy life with school, work, sports and events, family life; build volunteering into your schedule should be a priority, which is a secret to success. It could be a one-time annual Thanksgiving contract or a long-term commitment where you regularly go to a shelter or senior center. If you make it part of your family routine, you can instill the idea that your family values ​​spending time and helping those in need. Make sure your child has a say in the activity your family chooses, so they get to experience even more.

- Create your own opportunities. Some parents make efforts to find some organizations where young children can take part in as volunteers, due to age restrictions or other requirements. Dr. Amy D'Unger, Chairman of the Board of Directors said: "Many organizations set a minimum age of 12, 13 or even 18 years old to be involved in activities. But there are things you can do with children - even very young children," said Dr. Amy D'Unger, Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Compassionate Kids, Inc. A few choices you can make with your child include fundraising, such as walking, lemonade stands, or carrying a can of Unicef ​​when you trick or treat.

- Think beyond volunteering. In addition to traditional community service opportunities, D'Unger also recommends taking your kids on field trips that expose them to important social issues, such as homelessness, animal rescue or save the environment. In her opinion, these experiences can set a base for knowledge and enthusiasm for future volunteering. By showing your child who and what needs help, you can see how they would like to make a difference.

- Learn from other generations. Elderly centers are great options for older children to visit and spend time talking, reading or even watching TV with seniors whose loved ones may not live nearby. Another way to socialize and learn from older generations is to deliver meals to individuals back home through Meals in the Car; there is even an opportunity in some cities for you to deliver by bike instead because in the car. “From a senior’s point of view, they often see no one during the day, and a visit from a vivacious child, or a child,” said Enid Borden who is the CEO of the Meals on Wheels Association of America. Laughter makes everything become difference in the world. From the child's perspective, they get the chance to talk to and learn from the very people who raised us, fought our wars, taught us and built our country's history.