How Do We Help Our Kids Help Others?

I recently saw this quote by the wise Mahatma Gandhi: "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." It got me thinking about my children. In what ways to do they live their lives that are in service to others? Yes, we donate money and food around the holidays and they bring canned goods to the West Tisbury Library to donate to the Island Food Pantry. But that's not brought about by a need to help others; it's because they have overdue DVDs.

Then, the other day after drumming home to both my older daughters (yet again) how important it is to be grateful, how lucky they are to have what they have, how people all over the world are going through terrible times, I started to hear myself through their ears . . . blah, blah, blah. I began to think that maybe this approach needs to get a little more hands-on. Maybe these lucky girls need to find out for themselves what it means to help others who may not be so lucky.

I know for a fact that there are lots of kids on this amazing Island doing even more amazing things for people all over the world and right in their backyards. But I realized that I don't know—and therefore other parents may not know—what kinds of volunteer opportunities are here for young kids.

Who of you out there has kids who have participated in such activities? How can other parents get involved alongside their kids to make a difference, no matter how big or small, in the lives of others?