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The holiday season is all too often about long shopping lists and cutting off people racing to the mall in order to get the best deal on an HDTV. But most of us know in our hearts that something has changed, and needs to change again so that our families understand what this time of year really should mean to people. The holidays are about spending time together, about being thankful for the gifts you have in your life and contributing to others. That is why volunteering as a family is such a great idea. It’s so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life, but when you and the kids step outside of your comfort zone to do something selfless for others, you immediately reconnect with what is most important. Here are the top five benefits of volunteering as a family.
First and foremost, it helps to teach your children important values, while immediately showing them why those values are so important in the first place. It’s one thing to sit at home all warm and cozy and talk about looking out for those who have less than you. It’s something else entirely to actually go volunteer with a homeless shelter or a children’s hospital. Parents are always trying to figure out how to describe their most important values, but through volunteering your family experiences them, and no description will be necessary.
It’s also a great way to reconnect as a family. It’s easy to just feel like your child’s chauffer during most of the rest of the year. And there are probably times when your kids look at you as the rules warden. When volunteering together you each get to see the other in their best light, giving selflessly and helping those less fortunate. You’ll remember exactly what you love about your family, and perhaps even what you love about yourself. It’s a great reminder of what is really important, which really isn’t those things we get stressed about during the rest of the year.
Volunteering as a family will also help each of you understand people better. Even with all of our modern technology, most people feel more separated from others instead of closer together. When volunteering you’ll have the chance to talk to people in far difference circumstances than your own, to look them in the eyes and get out of your own world for an afternoon. It’s all too easy to be insulated. But it is best for you, and for your children to experience empathy for those from different backgrounds and economic groups.
Doing this good work as a family will also give you the opportunity to connect with other families within the community. Neighbors don’t get together as much as they did in previous generations. You may come across a family when volunteering that lives just down the street but you never even spoke to before. It’s a great way for everyone in your family to make some new friends and feel more connected within your surroundings.
Finally, volunteering always offers a ton of personal development opportunities. Your kids will feel more free to challenge themselves with you there to protect and support them. And you’ll challenge yourself as well, getting outside of your comfort zone and allowing your kids to grow up a little bit. Giving money to charity is always appreciated, but doesn’t offer this same chance to expand as a person. You have to get your hands dirty for that to be the case, and doing so as a family will bond you even more tightly together.
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