One of the things I enjoy most about parenting older children is the ability to serve alongside them. We have three sons with different personalities, passions and comfort zones. Volunteering creates the opportunity to develop skills and hone talents that will follow my boys to adulthood.
Here are a few ways older boys can serve others:
Childcare- yes, I said childcare. Whether it is the nursery at church or babysitting while a single mom has an evening to herself, childcare is not just for girls. My sixteen year old son volunteers for the teen mom ministry I am involved in. Once a week {when wrestling season isn’t in full swing} he helps corral a room full of toddlers while their mamas are downstairs learning and having fun. Childcare is an excellent opportunity for boys, particularly if they don’t have much younger siblings, to learn what is involved in caring for a small child.
Home repairs/Maintenance- My oldest son is hands on like his dad. They enjoy service projects that involve hammers and drills. My husband and sons have fixed fences, built wheelchair ramps, changed lightbulbs, cleaned gutters- you name it, they’ve done it. Contact your local senior center or find out if there are elderly members of your church that could use a hand with basic home maintenace and repairs.
Soup Kitchen- Volunteering at a soup kitchen is one of my favorites because it allowed all of us to serve at the same time. My oldest son washed dishes and took out trash. The middle son served food while joking around with the customers. My youngest walked around and refilled drinks and brought out more chairs as needed. Whether you find a soup kitchen to serve at once a month or once a year at a holiday meal, it is worth it to invest the time.
Mentoring- I am often amazed and sometimes dismayed at how self centered teenagers can be. Volunteering is a great way for teens to focus on others rather than themselves. Mentoring younger kids is a great way for teen boys to do this. They can play basketball at the Boys and Girls Club, volunteer at Awana on Sunday nights or help with a club {my middle son volunteers for Wyld Life, a ministry to middle schoolers} designed to reach lost kids. Having a younger child look up to them is a powerful way to keep teens on track.
There are a myriad of other ways for older boys to serve others. From visiting nursing homes to shoveling snowy driveways, it is crucial to find volunteer opportunities that match your childs God given passions and talents. Talk to your sons. Find out how they want to give back to the community and then go find a way for them to do that. Volunteering blesses the heart of your child even more than the person or agency they are helping!
Well received post! Thank you.
If they are 16 or older, they can volunteer with Habitat for Humanity building homes for families. No previous knowledge required. They are taught as they show up each day. Building homes for families while learning life long skills and volunteering….priceless. : )
Thanks for the info, Nancy! That is right up my oldest sons alley!
My son, who is 12, is taking a CERT training at the local fire department. It is Community Emergency Response Training. I am not sure if or how he can use it, but he loves this 8 week class that meets for 2 hr. one evening a week. Thank you to the local fire department for doing this. They are learning some first aid, about fires, helping people, etc. It is incredible and he LOVES it. I hope we can find a way for him to volunteer with them.