By K. Parker
The Christmas season is upon us, parents! During this time of year, it can feel pretty daunting to try and see past all the hustle and bustle around us. It’s often so hectic, we tend to forget what this holiday truly means (and what we should be teaching our kids throughout the season). Which leads to the topic I wanted to address: service and Christmastime.
Many parents tend to think that all kids go through a selfishness phase, that will pass as they get older and understand more of the world. That’s not entirely accurate. It’s not necessarily growing up that teaches them to think outside themselves, it’s what they are taught and the experiences they have as kids with giving to others.
Service Teaches Kindness
Teaching kids to serve others is not only going to help them overcome being self-centered, it will give them a sense of purpose, boost self-worth, encourage kindness and empathy, and feel gratitude for what they’ve been given in life. Overall it creates a basis on how they will interact with whatever social environment they find themselves in as they grow.
There’s no better time to teach kids to serve than the holiday season. This Christmas, find ways to teach compassion and empathy by searching for service opportunities. There are many service projects being done by different groups at school, work, or church, so there are many options to choose from. Look around you, you will find needs and a chance to fill those needs.
Christmas Service Opportunities are all Around Us
Here are some great service ideas you can do with your family this Christmas:
- Adopt a family or child to fulfill Christmas wishes. This is a great opportunity for kids to see that what they do makes a difference in others’ lives. If you really want your child to learn about sacrifice or putting someone’s needs above their own, don’t just take your kids shopping to buy a gift for a needy child. Have your child spend their own money to help make this giving experience possible.
- Go Christmas caroling to your neighbors or friends. This might seem nerve-racking for many of us, but giving of yourself in this way can really bring a wonderful spirit to those you visit. You can even contact a senior living center and see if you can carol for their residents.
- Visit the JustServe website to find various service opportunities within your community. There are even remote service activities that you can do. All you do is fill in what kind of service would be the best for your family and then pick from a list of available options.
When I was a child, my dad invited my siblings and I to help out with a fun and simple service activity. We got to help choose and wrap Christmas gifts for families in need. The families wrote letters to ‘Santa’ of the things they wanted or needed, and each group went through the warehouse picking out things that matched the list. Then we’d wrap up the gifts and get them ready to send off. It was a very uplifting activity to know that we were making Christmas possible for people that wouldn’t have had anything otherwise. It really put Christmas into perspective for me by giving back. And I was that much more grateful to my parents for the life they had provided for our family.
When you give your kids the opportunity to serve, it will make a strong impression on their lives! These experiences will remain with them as some of the best, most memorable Christmases of their lives. Give the gift of service this Christmas and see the impact it will make on you and your family.
For a great resource to teach your children gratitude, community, friendship, empathy, self-confidence and more, check out our book 30 Days to a Stronger Child. Chock full of great discussion questions and activities, you and your family will love this book.
K. Parker is a writer and editor for Educate and Empower Kids and a graduate from Brigham Young University-Idaho in Professional Studies in English. She is a mom and is excitedly pursuing a career in copy editing as she grows her little family.
