Adults can have a huge impact on a child’s view of service. I grew up around people who freely gave their time to serve others, and it has undoubtedly affected my thoughts and attitudes about volunteering. Some of the ways I was introduced into the world of service may help illustrate how the youngest of children can get involved in meaningful ways and carry their experiences into adulthood.
Music and Mommy
When my sisters and I were very young, my mom would drive down the road to the Pleasant Hill Health and Rehabilitation Center. She’d put in a tape of some of her favorite hymns and sing in a little karaoke machine. There wasn’t any prep or planning—she just took us when she could. All of the residents loved the music, and they loved us! All a child has to do is smile, and it makes someone’s day. This was how my mom first introduced me to using my gifts for others.
Pianos and Princesses
My piano teacher was also a great example of how to share with others. Every year we held a Halloween recital at a local nursing home. We came dressed as princesses, pirates and rabbits to play our pieces. Afterward, we shared snacks and visited with the residents. I carry on a similar tradition with my piano studio by having a Christmas recital with a carol sing-a-long at a local assisted living facility. The first year we held it at Heritage Village in the Northland. The piano was old and out of tune. The families and residents were cramped in chairs while the children scrunched together on the floor. It was a little crazy, but the smiles and applause were all worth it.
Childhood and Church
My mother and father were both actively involved in my church from the time I was born. My mom led a group for young girls that I was a part of through grade school. She planned lessons, activities and trips. My dad taught Sunday school and served as a deacon. My parents took me with their Sunday school class to the Forest Avenue Family Shelter in downtown Kansas City to serve dinner one time. They helped me send care packages to missionaries across the globe. I saw a whole world of ways, places and opportunities to serve others.
Experiencing my parents’ church commitment also allowed me to see service in some unique ways. First, they were serving me. I know what it is like to be on the receiving end of service. Second, they were serving in an organized, committed, consistent way. It wasn’t haphazard and it wasn’t out of fleeting emotions. It was constant and faithful through my whole childhood. I believe this is an important part of why I am so faithful to serve in my own church today. It seems normal and natural to work with my husband as the volunteer youth director and to structure our lives around others--even when things are hard.
Seize the opportunity to be a role model for the children in your life. Pour your own life out for others. Your children can be a part of much of it. Other times they will just watch as you take them along. Either way, it is sure to make a lasting impression on them that can change the way they live their lives.
Whitney Standlea lives in the Northland with her husband and two sons.