Wednesday 11 July 2007

Volunteering

I want to give back.....but how do I do that? I work outside and inside the home full time. I've got 2 children under 7. My husband and I run a business (in addition to my full time career). I'm supposed to be exercising and can't find the time (although some may argue I should be doing that rather than this).

I would really like to find something where I could volunteer say 1 evening a week/month (after the children have gone to bed) close to home. Is that too little/too late? Does anybody have any ideas?

Where do you volunteer?

2 comments:

Janell said...

My thoughts on the vounteering thing are this: Your personal mission field right now is your family. Your husband and children need your time more than anyone else does at this point in your life. It won't always be that way and as Seb & Abby get older, maybe you can find opportunites as they need less of your time than they do right now.
I don't know how it is at Seb & Abby's school, but here in Blair, USA, some of the moms I know volunteer as teacher's helpers during the school year, spending, for example, every Wednesday afternoon in the grade school (K-6) classroom, helping the kids with projects, etc. I know you work full time, so even if that's available, that might not be an option for you.
If you belong to a church, there are endless oportunities to work with children & young people: Sunday School, host a weekday evening Bible study or prayer group for any age. A good start for a small group meeting is the book "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren. I can send you any number of copies you might need if you can't find it over there. It was published new several years ago, but I don't think it's out of print, yet.
To answer your question, my work with our church's radio ministry is as a volunteer and in the fall I am going to be a storyteller for the K-3rd grade Sunday school group. I also sing in a gospel quartet which leads the singing at the 8:00 service on the first Sunday of the month. And my friend Libby & I sing play our guitars and sing classic (30s-70s) country music for a couple of local nursing homes.
Whatever your skills are, somebody somewhere needs your help. Be patient in finding the right way to donate your precious time and talents.

Sue said...

A way to volenteer and spend time with you own kids would be to get involved in their after school activities. If you can't coach, you can probably furnish snacks or do some of the paperwork.

As for exercise, I walk over my lunch hour and have a smoothie of soy milk and strawberries at my desk when I get back. If you have breaks, (I don't except for lunch) take a 10 minute stroll at that time. A couple of 10 minutes during the day and take the kids for a 20-30 minute walk after school/work. You will have walked about 2 miles every day.
Sue