Kids Volunteering

It seems more and more volunteering is being required of kids in schools or needed on a college application to show community involvement. Here's my problem with that...there are only so many hours in a day and kids seem to be getting more and more homework, throw in a sport or other group activity and a fundraiser and there's no time for dinner let alone volunteering. I'm also not sure volunteering just to record your hours for a college application is necessarily the spirit in which we want our kids volunteering. Required volunteering...those words don't seem to go together.

I admit that I have not done a good job of getting my older son to volunteer. I try to show through my actions the importance of caring and helping others in need or just to make their day. However, my example is set by helping with friends and family in need. I'm a believer in taking care of "My People". Those in the circus ring with me! As far as putting that on a college application...I don't think that will count. Max, my older son, is very caring for a 16 year old. He asks me how my day was everyday, helps carry in the groceries and waited on me when I needed him during chemotherapy shit days, but I don't think that will count as required volunteering.

I am, interested in finding something for my younger son as he is much more interested in the concept of volunteering outside our home for genuine reasons. As I was searching the Internet for ideas I happened to see an add on CNBC for City Year. Unfortunately, there isn't a location close enough to me to participate, but I thought the site was worth sharing as there are plenty of other locations .

City Year is an organization that brings kids together to better a community and help in schools. There are opportunities for elementary, middle and high school students. Kids commit to 10 months of volunteering on weekends and breaks, but what appears to be different to me with this organization is that as well as putting the kids to work there are meetings to help them understand the underlying social and economic hardships that they will be improving and how their volunteering individually and as a group can Spark a change!

Check it out if you have kids that may be interested! There's a link to the website on the right hand side of this page.

T