We’ve talked about volunteering here in our “Parents” blog before, but I wanted to write a little about the gift of time—not necessarily the work and effort of community service, but taking the time to be with other people and share ourselves and our company. I think it can be a tough value to convey to our children in such a hustle, bustle world and yet, it is definitely something that our society seems to be lacking more and more.
When I was a girl, I was lucky and blessed enough to grow up surrounded by extended family. BUT, that didn’t mean that I felt a natural comfort at being around some of the older members of our family. I remember thinking it was incredibly boring to just go “visit” and much preferred my youngish grandparents’ homes where there was plenty to do to the homes of my great-grandparents and their friends, as well as my great-great aunts and uncles. But, I remember my mother continuously stressing the fact that it was important for us to just go and “spend time” with these people. It wasn’t about doing anything; it was about sharing our time and ourselves.
Teaching our kids about sharing the gift of their time doesn’t have to just mean with older adults, it can mean learning how to be thoughtful neighbors, have care and concern for church members or friends, or learning the lost art of “keeping someone company.” I’m of the opinion that the best way we can teach our children about sharing the gift of time is through our own modeling—showing how we can take time out of our busy and hectic schedules just to show concern and caring for someone else. Plus, it helps in those lessons of trying to counter-balance all the consumerism and commercialism that our children are exposed to—showing them that some of the most precious gifts we have to offer others, definitely aren’t things and stuff.
See Also: Teaching Kids to be Neighborly and Start a Family Tradition: Community Service