Why Volunteering is the Best Teaching Lesson for Your Preschooler
This past week marked our annual New to You Sale which I remarked to the organizers was “herculean” in terms of both time and effort. It was a huge success! There were tons of items for sale, and droves of people walked away with armloads of great clothing, toys and furnishings. The success of this project was due to the work of the organizers Jenni Martin and Krista Rigling. Both gave countless hours to this project which made me start to reflect on all the great things happening at LANK just in the next few weeks alone.
On Wednesday of this week Officer Kyle will be making his third appearance at LANK to expose the children to the work of police officers and their special dog friends. The Thanksgiving Food Drive is in full swing thanks to Nicole Sanglier and the room parents. Chris Ferguson (Ty’s dad) will help us kick off our flagship unit, Strike up the Band, by playing his guitar for the children, and we will also have local high school band members visit and share their instruments. In early December, the children will be making winter cards to send to the National Children’s Hospital – spearheaded by Erin Oruncak. All of these wonderful moments are happening because of volunteers. Our school thanks you!
As a nation, volunteerism has been steadily declining for the last decade. Experts will cite many possible reasons; people being too busy, mobility and transience, laziness (Yes, that’s a real possibility!) and shifting priorities like emphasis on self. How sad for our nation’s children! So much can be learned from observing volunteers or participating in volunteer projects as children. The benefits to health are well documented. We feel good when doing something for someone else. For preschoolers and Kindergarten children, simple volunteerism teaches responsibility, and fosters friendship and tolerance (after all, you have to work with others!) But most importantly, it teaches that one person can make a real difference. For a young child this is a uniquely powerful message.
As we get closer to the holiday season, by all means enjoy the festivities. But, a concerted effort to include volunteerism in both you and your child’s future is the best teachable moment you will have. If you are interested in volunteering at LANK please fill out this volunteer form and email it to our Volunteer Coordinator Keith Whyte. Thank you!
Joan
