Volunteering - soup kitchen

mysweetpeasWil&Wes wrote: Since I'm on the topic of volunteering, has anyone ever brought their kids to help out at a soup kitchen during the holidays? I really want to do this with my kids, because I think there is so much value in showing your kids how to give back to their community and to those in need, but I'm not sure if they are too young right now. Wil is 3 and Wesley is 16.5 months. I know they may be too young to physically help, but do you think they will actually benefit from just seeing mom help - is that setting a good example or will it just seem sorta scary? Please be honest. Thanksgiving is just around the corner, so I would like to call soon and help out. But I'm not sure if I am going to be too busy setting up, serving, and cleaning up to have my children there too. Thoughts? Suggestions?

luvbug00 replied: i haven't taken mya as my mom's work is enough exposure to the less fortunate. But as kids before my mom had that job we went from age 5-12. Great experience.

boyohboyohboy replied: we did this with our church group, and it was really busy and hectic, but lots of fun. i think it might be just a little to much for your kids at their age. but when they are older and are able to help, i think its a wonderful idea.
if you are looking for something for your kids to do, we have a church youth camp here, that asked for volunteers to come and clean up the grounds, that was something caleb was able to do at age 3, we just took a hefty bag and picked up trees and shrubbery..do you have something like that?

moped replied: Very nice of you to think of doing that - I will be the pooper again and say yes they are way too young - it would be more trouble having them there IMO.......I think you would be chasing after them and not be able to work!!!!!!

boyohboyohboy replied: rae, if you are looking for something for them to do, we used to ask caleb to go shopping at the store for a child, one boy and one girl, and donate the toy to toys for tots..he enjoyed doing that..

luvmykids replied: I agree, I think they're still too young. I'd wait until about five, JMHO. I haven't done it in about 10 years but there is no way I could have handled my kids and been of any help

lovemy2 replied: Why not take your kids shopping for stuffed animals - maybe say you will spend $50 or something - buy some stuffed animals and take them to the children's floors of a hospital - I agree that a soup kitchen at that age may not hold alot of water but I could be wrong.....or call the hospital and ask if there is anything else you can donate - craft supplies, etc.

eta - as an aside - I have for the last three years made Olivia "clean out" her toys before Santa comes to donate to children who have less - it works two fold - she sees that it is good to give back and her toy box gets cleaned out

luvmykids replied: You could also take the kids to a nursing or retirement home...I'm always amazed at how much they cheer people up, and it's very sad how many people don't ever get visitors not to mention the instant cheer they get from the kids.

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied:
I belong to a mom's club which is supposed to be doing service projects throughout the year, but they are never "enough" IMO. We donate jackets and sometimes canned foods, but I want to physically help, kwim? I know every little bit helps, but I want to do more than hand over some of my used stuff to one of our board members who then passes it to an organization. I want to be more involved, but like my other post, it may just seem unrealistic with kids as young as mine. I used to volunteer to plan activities for my moms club, and I liked that for a while, but again, it required A LOT more time than I was first told. My DH wasn't too happy about that and it wasn't always fair to my own kids who had to be brought to everything with me. Sigh, so maybe I'm jumping the gun on volunteering. Maybe I'll wait until they are older.

I don't belong to a church, but I like your idea about cleaning up. My friend just helped build a playground for her kids' school over the weekend...I thought that was great! But can you believe that she and her husband were the ONLY parents who volunteered (besides a couple teachers)?! Crazy IMO. People want safe, new clean playgrounds, yet they don't want to help.

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied:
This is a very good idea! We donate used stuff to Good Will about every other month, but my kids don't participate. Having my kids actually shop for a couple gifts would maybe make the thought of giving stick a little more. So thanks, I think I'll try that!

And the nursing home idea - I like that one too! Again, it was an idea that came up in our mom's club, but no one really wanted to do it. It's hard to get a group to agree on a service project. Some people want to be less hands-on, where I'm the opposite.

MyBrownEyedBoy replied: I would not suggest bringing them until they are physically old enough to help. You will be busy.

boyohboyohboy replied: speaking as a nurse from the nursing home, the people love, love, love the kids, but this is getting to be flu season, and i would make sure you called a head to make sure it was ok, and that there isnt any kind of bug going around the unit..
you can always call and ask for the unit director of the alzheimer unit thats the unit that is the best to watch them enjoy the kids on, in my opinion.

holley79 replied: I think 6-8 is a much more realistic age to start benefiting from volunteer work. There's nothing wrong with taking them to soup kitchens but I don't think they need to be exposed just yet. Not to mention Wes's immune system may be awesome but there are a LOT of germs there.

Calimama replied:
I agree. I would wait a few years. Toys for Tots is great way for kids to do their part!

Jamison'smama replied: To get your kids involved they can help make something for kids in a shelter of some sort. I worked in a domestic violence shelter and kids would make and drop off felt stockings that they had decorated and filled. They made Easter baskets, collected mittens, baked cookies. Remember, a lot of people volunteer around holiday time. It is the times in between that they need the help. We had a lady---called the bread lady that just brought in a few loaves of homemade bread a few times a month---the residents loved her. Call your nearest shelter and ask what they would like. There is an organization on Oprah that sounded amazing--they collected pajamas for kids in the shelters. Many very low income families cannot afford the luxury of pajamas---and kids love them.

I believe it is absolutely our responsibility to get kids involved in thinking about someone besides themselves--as early as possible.

Thanks for bringing it up, I need to get more on top of it myself!