by Trenna Sue Hiler

Created on: February 10, 2009   Last Updated: May 05, 2011

Community service and volunteering to make the world a better place to live is a lofty goal. Until you get involved with the process and then find out, it not hard and even small things matter. Everyone can do something to make the community a better place. Once involved in the act of volunteering it tends to become addictive.

Example is the best teacher. Actions speak much louder than words. These sentences are not unfamiliar, and yet as parents, sometimes we forget where to put the focus.

1. We can not expect our children to do what we will not.

If children are to be involved in community service they should be doing it with a parent. It should begin at a very young age and become part of the family routine. It begins simple when they are small. Take an empty garbage sack on the afternoon walk through the park and pick up some trash. Talk about why you are doing it and who it is helping. Recycle at home and teach them what service that does for the entire world.

2. Join organizations that fit into the family life style.

We are a family of hunters and we enjoy the outdoors. Recently we attended a Sportsman's Expo Show which was hosted by the Mule Deer Foundation. As we entered the show and there were pictures of the projects that the Mule Deer Foundation had worked on throughout the national the children began to talk. "Remember when we hiked all the way up that really high mountain and planted those sticky bushes so the deer would have something to eat."

There are many family friendly organizations that help us easily serve the community. They make all the arrangements and we just show up and work.

3. Show them the results of their hard word

We were involved in a hat making project for the shelter is our area. They were done on looms and the boys and girls could make the hats quite easily. Darin make sure that he marked his hats with one specific red line in the pattern. Every time we go downtown he is on the hunt for "the dude with one of my hats". It gives him a sense of pride.

Many times we have returned to the area where we planted the bitter brush to take pictures and check out the deer.

On one of our fantastic volunteer projects Devin was whining about getting up early and going. "Why do we have to go?" A very wise father said, "We don't have to do anything. We can sit here at the house all day and not worry about what happens to our friends, neighbors and the world. We wouldn't be able to do anything else though. As a family we are going. If you want to stay home we can call a sitter. You will have to pay for the sitter out of your allowance. It's completely your choice."

He chose to stay home and he paid for the sitter. He was allowed to sit in his room while we were gone. It was an all day project. We returned home with t-shirts and hats. We had pizza and had gone for ice cream after the event. Devin has chosen to go with us since then.

So if having the children involved in the community is the goal; get involved with them and help the community.

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