52 Weeks of Service
We made it! I originally thought I was going to use these service
projects to teach my kids about giving love and looking outside
themselves- and hopefully it did that. But there were so many other
benefits I hadn't anticipated! I really had to do my research to find
organizations that would allow children to help (most volunteer
positions aren't open to 3 and 5 year olds) and in that research I was
able to learn about so many needs I really had never noticed before. It
filled me with gratitude for people I usually take for granted, like our
mailman. It also opened the door to conversations about things I may
not have thought to include my kids in- like the bake sale we did for
Hurricane victims in Houston, I don't generally discuss natural
disasters with my preschoolers. Another project took us to a different
part of our neighborhood where Winston yelled "Hey! Why does that guy
have pink hair?!" to a man standing a few feet away ... so we got to
chat about how people look different everywhere you go. Taking flowers
to my great grandmother's grave left a surprisingly lasting impression
on them and is a conversation we have revisited months and months later.
This resolution forced me to think about other people at a time of my
life where I could have easily been drowning in my own chaos (having my
third baby in 4 years). It really made me feel part of the community
here in West Lafayette as I was able to see the good that so many people
are doing all around me and get to share in it even just for an hour a
week. I loved the way it transformed holidays too- thinking of how we could help other people celebrate it instead of adding yet another party to our agenda. Some projects were small, some were big undertakings, and some
weeks we missed entirely. There were a couple times I wanted to quit
because it was so tough to get my kids interested in a service project
or because I felt like we weren't making a difference at all- but I am
so glad we persevered. As I look back over the pictures I see how easy
it is to share a little light with people around us. Winston's favorites
were the free Popsicle stand in our HOA park and sending a hand drawn
map and super hero cape to his friend who was in the hospital. Cosette
loved giving some of her toys away to our refugee friends and it really
was the sweetest to hear her explain to Winston how it made her feel
happy to share. My favorites were gifting a live Christmas tree and the
week where the kids each thought up a project for themselves completely
unprompted. I can't say enough good about this year and the foundation
it laid for us as a family- making time to serve will remain a top
priority, I can't say I have the energy for another 52 weeks of projects
but definitely a monthly project and I'm cooking up a special idea for
summer.
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