Talking About Kids tips for February 19th's program, Volunteerism for Kids

Be a role model. If you want your child to volunteer, you and your child can do it together, at least at first.

Keep it simple, at least in the beginning. Sometimes by doing small things for others your child may later want to do bigger things to help more people.

When your child decides that he or she wants to help others, your child can volunteer at a place where his or her interests lie. Examples:

• if your child loves to be with kids, a children's museum is a possibility
• if your child likes sports, a sports group is possible
• if your child likes to talk and help people, volunteer at the CONTACT teen line or other listening center

Get your child's friends to come along. That way he or she doesn't feel alone AND more can be done for the agency.

There are tons of places in the Delaware Valley that need help. Call your mayor's office and ask for some names or call your local United Way.

As the adult make sure YOU are prepared to answer your child's questions about why some people don't have a home or why some children are in wheelchairs.

One easy way to introduce your child to the world of volunteering is to start by doing random acts of kindness for people. They can be as simple as a smile to a homeless person to giving a stranger your parking space.

Remember, volunteering is beneficial not only for the place that your child is helping, but also for you, all your children, and the people who come into contact with you every day.

Melanie Lowe, age l6
Founder, Random Acts of Kindness
Cherry Hill High School East
The Random Acts of Kindness Club
l750 Kresson Rd.
Cherry Hill, New Jersey 08003

Discuss with your child before and after his or her experience why there are people in this society that are homeless, etc.

Introduce your child to books on poverty, race, homelessness, etc. or books on the subject of volunteering.

Ask your child questions after an experience volunteering questions as:

• what did you do today?
• how did you feel about it?
• who did you meet
• did it change the way you think about this?

Jonathan Rosen
Dir. External Affairs
Rutgers University Citizenship
and Service Education Program
e-mail: jonrosen@eden.rutgers.edu