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As the end of the school year quickly approaches, I know many of you are planning family activities for the summer. Do your plans include volunteering together at a nursing home? I hope so, and I’ll explain why in this popular post I shared a couple of years ago.
When my children were young, we loved to volunteer at the nursing home. I still cherish many happy memories of the time we spent with each other and with the residents.
Some of our favorite activities included playing ball games on the memory care unit, decorating for Christmas, walking the dogs, and playing Bingo. Just the other day, we talked about the time we went to the nursing home during lunch on Halloween and passed out chocolate kisses to the residents and staff.
As my children grew older, they continued to volunteer at the nursing home on their own. Today, as young adults, their passion for volunteering extends into several new areas.
There are lots of benefits to volunteering at the nursing home as a family:
- Promotes teamwork
Your family learns to work together as a team. These skills extend back to your home and other areas of life.
- Fosters a sense of appreciation
Kids develop an appreciation for the blessings in their lives when they see the challenges in other people’s lives.
- Provides an opportunity to connect and communicate
These days, we spend a lot of family time with our noses buried in our smartphones. When you volunteer together at the nursing home, you put away the phones. You talk to each other and the residents face to face.
- Supports positive role-modeling
Your children watch as you show compassion, kindness, and patience. They’ll pick up these traits, too. Furthermore, children who volunteer with their families have a higher chance of continuing to volunteer as adults.
- Strengthens a family’s self-esteem
Children develop a sense of pride when they see the difference their family can make in the lives of other people.
- Encourages new friendships
You’ll meet other families and individuals who share your interests and values. This often leads to long-term friendships.
- Promotes having fun together
Volunteering is an inexpensive way to have fun as a family. You’ll also create beautiful memories that last a lifetime.
How do you volunteer together as a family? Please let us know in the comment section!
If you enjoyed reading this post, I know you’ll also enjoy reading about why teens should volunteer in nursing homes.
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