Find role-models in your community
Giving Back
Fall is in full swing and winter is just around the corner! As the weather chills and holidays approach, many people take the opportunity to give back to their communities. Our school is in the process of collecting donations for Wallingford FamilyWorks (https://familyworksseattle.org), supplying at-risk families with crucial supplies such as food and diapers. Not only is this an excellent opportunity to provide for families in need, it is also a chance to teach empathy and advocacy to our youngest learners.
What Research Tells Us
“Using survey data from across the United States, we found that volunteering was associated with higher odds of excellent or very good health and flourishing in children and adolescents, and with lower odds of anxiety in adolescents and behavioral problems in children and adolescents.’’
Share books on advocates and movements
Find ways for volunteering to be child-led
Social-Emotional Learning
Beyond physical and mental health, volunteering opens the door for social-emotional development. There are opportunities for children to develop agency, and see themselves enact change. These experiences can help foster their place in their community, and contribute to a more positive sense of self.
Start Small
Talk to your child about what they notice in their community. People sleeping outside? Create care packages. Trash at the park? Do a family clean-up. An interest in pets? Bring food to a local shelter and visit animals in search of a home. These issues can be complex, but starting the conversation with your child allows you to follow their interests and understanding. These conversations give the opportunity to develop their empathy, organizational, and leadership skills!
My experience
I moved to Seattle in 2018 from Southern California, and like many transplants had a hard time connecting to the community here upon arrival. In 2019 I began fostering puppies, primarily with the Seattle Animal Shelter and Brave Pup, and consequentially have had around 25 puppies come into our home and move on to their forever homes. This gave me connections to amazing volunteers, a stronger sense of purpose, reduced stress (yes, puppies reduced my stress!), and continued connections with families who we adopted to.
Teacher Taryn with two pups
