268. How To Be Awesome At Helping Your Kids Lead A Holiday Service Project

What if your child, this holiday season, started a project to help other kids in need? How cool would that be?! During a time when it’s naturally a lot of making lists about what you want and gifts and buying and stuff- which is all part of it, nothing negative there- but what if we shift the focus so it’s some of that but it’s also a lot of thinking about others.    In this episode I am going to walk you through how you can help guide your child so they can create their very own community service project.  Their own plan to help make the holiday season special in some way, for kids who are struggling or living in overcrowded situations or in the hospital..    The amount of growth and empathy and kindness that comes from doing this is not even describable.  Especially if your child or children can meet or experience the world that these other kids live in, it’s an impact that can’t be made in another way.   The way that we all help the world become a more kind place where people look out for each other, is though our kids.  Today’s episode is all about how you can do just that - and it’s much easier than you think.   It can’t be made from them watching us volunteer or donate.  It’s that deep feeling of appreciation and gratitude that only comes from experiencing something yourself.    **Action items Contact shelters - ask them - how can we best support you  Know this going into it    Ask your child these questions (or answer htem for them if they are too little)   What are you most interested in right now? (Examples: Spiderman, making bracelets, Legos, slime etc)    Talk to them about how other kids don’t have the things that we are just used to. Great opportunity to describe in an age appropriate way- how grateful you feel and how not everyone has these same comforts.  Ask them how they would like to help kids this holiday season.   Here are some examples:   Host their own toy drive   Plan to serve a meal in some way   Hot cocoa stand - raised money is used to buy toys for kids in a shelter or in a hospital for Christmas.    Set-up an adopt a family program    Create care packages    Whatever they love - do that- collecting Legos to donate to children in the hospital etc.    Host a drive - to build hygiene kits or    Build backpacks for kids for school    Help fund kids who need help paying for sports    Blanket drive for new blankets    Make friendship bracelets and sell them like a lemonade stand    Build holiday thanksgiving baskets with meals families can prepare for thanksgiving   The realistic ease of all of this... **You don’t have to pay for this- you guys are just the ones setting it up. Making the connections and the plan and then getting an army going to support your project.    CHEERS to teaching your kids about helping others at a young age, so it is ingrained in who they are.