Posted on 12/01/2017
Whether you've resolved to reduce your family's screen time this year or simply know you need to spend a little more time interacting with one another, sometimes ideas can be elusive. That's why we're helping you get the wheels turning with this "Screen-Free Family Fun" series! From silly to productive, there's no end to the purposes you can assign to "family time." One of the many functions from which you can choose is some form of service. Whether you think of it as "paying it forward" or "giving back," hours spent serving others just might become some of the most rewarding hours of your family's week, month, and year.
Changing the Connotation of "Community Service"
You know what I'm talking about, don't you? Even if your court room experience is limited to a few channel-surfing pauses on "Judge Judy," you know that "community service" can be part of a person's sentence for wrongdoing. That really sends the wrong message though, doesn't it? Before you enroll your child or children in a volunteer service opportunity, you may need to do a little education when it comes to the "why." Whether your family's motivation has faith-based roots or humanistic roots, you'll want your entire family on board with the reasons for your outreach.
Finding a Cause that Resonates with You
Perhaps a nearby park is a place where your family has frequently gone, or the VA hospital across town was the same one where your great-grandfather was treated, years ago. Maybe you have friends who are missionaries to Haiti or have ancestors from what's now war-torn Africa. By pin-pointing a cause that connects with you on a personal basis, you'll be more likely to feel invested in your service. And by finding that connection, you'll be greatly narrowing your choices from the literally millions of possibilities out there. Once you start looking for a place to serve, the endless possibilities may well be daunting enough to have you wanting to skip the whole idea.
Determining a Specific Project that Makes Sense for You
If your family is in the stage where you have babies and toddlers in tow, this step will greatly reduce the number of opportunities you can consider — but that doesn't mean that there aren't any within your reach! Simply seeing those cute little ones is often enough to put smiles on the most downtrodden people at nursing homes; even those plagued by dementia and other diseases can recognize the beauty of a child or the kindness of a home-made card.
If you have older kids or teens who like to see the fruits of their labor, consider re-painting park benches or redoing landscaping for a place close to your heart. If your family is more skilled, maybe a building project for Habitat for Humanity, a service trip to a needy community with Bridges to Community, or another organizational project would be in line with your skill set.
Don't be surprised if your volunteering leads to new friendships and greater awareness of others' needs as well as feelings of personal connection and community.
Read the Series
• Screen-Free Family Fun: Productivity Edition
• Screen-Free Family Fun: Educational Edition
• Screen-Free Family Fun: Silly Edition
• Screen-Free Family Fun: Service Edition
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