There’s no question that volunteering is a great way to foster compassion in kids. But did you know that the conversation parents and children have after doing the good deed is just as important as the activity itself? Some ways to get started:
- Get your kid’s opinion about what she did and didn’t like about the task, suggests Heather Jack, executive director of the organization The Volunteer Family. Don’t forget to share your thoughts with her, too.
- Dig deeper by asking questions. How did she feel while helping others? In what ways does she think her work will make a difference? Does she want to volunteer again, and why?
- Encourage empathy, not pity for the people your kid helped by reminding her of a time someone else came to her aid, says Jenny Friedman, founder of the nonprofit Doing Good Together and author of The Busy Family’s Guide to Volunteering. This way, she’ll understand that everyone needs a hand sometimes—and at other times, everyone has a hand to give.
Reprinted from KIWI Magazine