Recently, my family volunteered at an apple tasting (BTW, 73 varieties–it happens every year through the Monterey Bay California Rare Fruit Growers). Our job was to help set up the tables, open the canopies, stage the outdoor venue, and cut a whole lot of apples. Our ten-year-old quickly found apple cutting boring but sought a way to contribute by highlighting the new apples on the rating sheets, putting rating sheets on clipboards, helping to count people coming in, and greeting people as they entered. When not “on duty,” she freely partook of the snack table for volunteers. She had previously attended as a guest, enjoying the apples and the event. Now, she was part of the team to make the activity happen, got to participate in the public’s enjoyment, and was thanked for her contribution.
Research supports that volunteering has direct benefits, such as improved well-being, health, and self-esteem. Volunteering also builds pro-social behaviors (i.e., positive behaviors supported by society) in children. There is some evidence that children who volunteer in their communities feel a greater sense of obligation to make their community better. I hope my daughter’s experience makes her realize she can make change happen in the community by giving her time and effort.
A few weeks ago, I volunteered for a school field trip. The field trip was just a walking trip to the public library, and it was fun to interact with the range of kids in the class. The other dad volunteer, and I, in conjunction with the teacher, worked to keep the kids corralled and moving en route to the library. Once in the library, we helped the kids search for books for their research topics and generally stayed within the designated areas at an appropriate volume of noise. As they finished checking out books, we went to the adjacent park to eat a snack and begin returning to school. I got to observe my daughter in her “natural” environment–walking with her friends, seeing with whom she engaged, and how she interacted with others. Along the way, I also chit-chatted with a range of kids. I got to know them more, and they got to know me informally. These interactions help kids feel as though there are many adults they know and care for in their lives. In research studies, kids feeling as though they have a network of adults has been associated with greater self-esteem and has been noted as a protective factor against engaging in risky behaviors.
As part of a religious school, my daughter’s class hosts meals for I-HELP, a local agency that provides meals and a place to sleep for unhoused men enrolled in their program. As a class parent, I coordinated the sign-ups for the food items. In addition, my wife and daughter worked together to prepare items as our contribution–they made homemade cupcakes, including the decorating style of a ten-year-old. She knew why they were preparing the items, and my wife was clear that they were making these from scratch because the unhoused men deserved to have delicious, homemade items. By engaging in these activities, I think we are building her sense of charity, helping the less fortunate, and treating others with the dignity they deserve. By volunteering in this capacity, she is learning values we hope she adopts.
The holiday season brings volunteering opportunities. There are various activities, from food drives, preparing and serving meals, donating coats and toys, raising money for good causes, and participating in winter carnivals and holiday craft fairs. Many volunteer opportunities can readily include kids.
Sometimes, it takes work to find time and motivation to volunteer. Rearranging work responsibilities or taking time off may not be realistic, and volunteering off work time may not seem appealing. However, the payoff is worthwhile. Kids can realize their good fortune and the importance of improving the community and environment by giving their time. As a family, I plan to volunteer in a soup kitchen in the near future and up our direct-service volunteering. I hope you will, too.
Robert (Rob) S. WeisskircH, MSW, Ph.D., CFLE, is a Professor of Human Development at California State University, Monterey Bay, and is a Certified Family Life Educator. He and his wife are parents to a chatty, elementary school-aged daughter and reside in Marina.