I've been thinking a lot about service lately.
How people serve.
Why people serve.
The benefits of serving.
This United Way screen shot tells me that
service has the power to unite people.
Check out how these elderly are uniting with students to practice language skills and more using Skype {here} ... very cool!
I know that the topic of service united a group of us on a #servechat Thursday night. Hosted by Sheila over at Pennies of Time, this hour engaged and intrigued me, partly because it was designed with teens in mind. The guest expert, Lisa Van Engen from About Proximity amazed me! Click the graphic to find 100 {yes, you read that right, one hundred} ideas for youth community service.
Those of us who work with elementary-aged students will likely need to start smaller, because they don't drive yet and because many of the service opportunities in the community come with an age-requirement for liability reasons.
What services can your little superheroes perform?
This looks like a job for:
Click {here} to purchase this editable superheroes set.
These are just a few of the things that our students do.
And we've found that, just like kindness begets kindness,
service begets service.
The more kids serve, the more they want to serve.
Turns out that's true for grown-ups, too.
Yesterday when I pulled up to the drive-thru window at McDonald's and handed the cashier my $4.19, I was told that the car in front of me had already paid my bill. A kind act of service to be sure. And I almost drove away as I thanked him kindly. Then it occurred to me, if receiving this gift made me feel so good, what if I followed suit? So I paid for the person behind me and left there with my caramel frappe and sugar cookies just as happy as could be {and not just because I was on a sugar high}!
Teach your little ones to serve, watch them soar
like the superheroes they're meant to be,
and take note about how it unites your class family.
Serve others yourself, and feel what happens,
not only to the recipient of your kindness,
but to you.
Then treat yourself to some decadence once in a while ...
because you can't feed if you're not being fed.
What are some fun ways in which you serve?
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