Huntsville's Promise
Our Children Our Future
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Service to Others Mary E. Robbins, Ed.D. Sam Houston State University Professor Youth Advisory Board Member Martin Luther King said, “Life’s most urgent question is: What are you doing for others?” Helping others may be the single most important thing we do because it actually changes circumstances, conditions and events. Our caring for others, our reaching out to those in need, the sharing of our resources and ourselves can alter the lives of those we serve. Serving others also has the most marvelous side benefit--it changes the very fabric of our lives as well. Being of service to others lifts us out of our humdrum routines, our lethargy, and our own problems—at least for a little while. And when we return these routines seem fresher, we have more energy, and our problems don’t seem to weigh as much as they did before. The ripple effect of helping others, and helping ourselves in the process, is a healthier, happier community. A community of people whose lives are given in service to others see solutions, not just problems. They see possibilities, not roadblocks. They listen to each other, they respect each other, they support each other, and they work for the mutual benefit of all. A great challenge we have as parents is to instill this ideal of service in our children and I would like to offer a few thoughts about what we might do to encourage our children to be mindful of others’ needs and develop the habit of service. Be an example To my mind the most powerful way we have to show our children what is important in life is through our own example. Through our words and our actions we daily demonstrate the things that we value. If we want our children to value service to others then we must be of service to others. Even the small things we do as parents are noticed and instill in them mindfulness of others’ needs. We want our children to see us doing things for others with no thought of reward or gain. We could
Talk with your children We can help children imagine how others are feeling by talking about how they would feel if they were in similar circumstances. We could
Share books together Books are a wonderful way to start conversations with our children about other people’s needs and circumstances. Create a special time together to read and share books about helping others. A few book possibilities are listed below. For more information about sharing books or additional book choices contact the children’s and young adult librarian at Huntsville Public Library.
Do service projects together Having a family service project is another way to develop the habit of service to others. Working alongside family members also teaches children respect for others, a work ethic, how to gather information, make decisions and interact with others. Consider selecting a service project as a family—an-age appropriate one in which all the family members can participate--and setting aside one day a month together to devote to it. Simple short-term projects work better if your children are younger while teens can manage a longer-term commitment. Keep a positive tone during the project and don’t forget to talk with each other about what you are experiencing and feeling. You might
We all model service for our children. And with thoughtfulness and mindfulness, through careful planning, sharing and talking we can instill in our youth the importance of serving others. We can change the fabric of our own and others’ lives.
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