We Make Life Kinder

Hello friends, it’s Mommy Money here with you again to share some quirky personal stories and solid financial advice. We have made it to October, and this year has flown by. Summer vacations came to a close and the kids are back in school. It got me thinking now that my kids are grown, I actually miss this time of year…filling out forms, getting to know new teachers, and most importantly, finding opportunities to volunteer at my children’s schools.

Volunteering has always been my way of making a contribution to my community. It gives me a chance to jump in to lend support where it’s needed. Oh, the things I have done…from reading to kids to painting community park bathrooms and too many other fun things to list. My favorite type of volunteering though, is when I can make a positive impact with the children of our community, like the days I spent volunteering for 5th graders at JA’s BizTown in Coconut Creek. It is no wonder I ended up at a credit union where there is a major focus on volunteerism and financial literacy.

Why Volunteer?

Back when I was in middle school, we took a class that taught us how to write a check and balance our checkbook. Nowadays, those skills are a lost art. So, who is teaching our future leaders how to handle money, what is considered responsible debt, and how do you balance the financial part of life? Not all schools have a BizTown close by. It’s easy to assume that parents are doing their part to teach kids financial best practices. But that’s not always the case. Some parents either weren’t taught this when they were young, or haven’t been as successful at it as they would have liked. Although parents are doing the best of their abilities, children inevitably follow the examples they have seen over the years and mimic those behaviors.

A personal example of children following their parents’ lead happened as I was standing at the DMV with my daughter who was getting her learner’s license. She was asked to sign her name, which I assumed she had seen me do many times before. We got home, and I looked at the license to find she only signed her first name! Did she think she was Madonna now, only needing one name and everyone would know who she is?! Mommy’s major fail! I was so upset with myself. She didn’t realize that when someone says to sign your name, it means your full legal name. That was my job to explain why a full signature was required on a formal document. After a big laugh, there was a long conversation, and I can’t help but remind her of it every now and then.

None of us are perfect, and we may need a specialist now and then to show us best practices. To me, it was a blessing when teachers found out I could come into the classroom and show students the characteristics of money, how to start a savings account, and even talk through ways to avoid losing money through fraud or bad credit. My kids were lucky that they knew what a counterfeit bill or check looked like and knew that the savings deposit came before spending. Still, as I proved, I certainly wasn’t perfect.

Getting Involved

Not all the volunteering I have done has been financially related, though this is what I know best. I also used my organizational skills to be a softball team mom, my creative skills to draw greeting cards for cancer patients, my love of the holidays to decorate a house for a needy family, and my food shopping ability to create Thanksgiving Day baskets for Veterans. Everyone has something within themselves to offer for the greater good of the community. Here are some suggestions from Flockittome:

1. Let the Dogs Out - Sign up at a local shelter to give animals much-needed socialization and interaction. 
2. Get Geeky - Great at technology? Volunteer with Peace Geeks, a group that puts technology in the hands of humanitarian organizations.
3. Find Your Niche - Use a site like Catchafire to find out what organizations need your specific set of skills.
4. Start Scouting - Reach out to your local Girl Scout or Boy Scout group to see if they need any chaperones or volunteers to help with troop activities. 
5. Be a Bookworm - If you love books and reading, call your local public library to see if the staff needs volunteers to read to children, check in books or complete administrative tasks.
6. Tutoring a Child - Talk to your local school about tutoring opportunities. Most will jump at the chance for you to work with students who need extra help.
7. Teach Tech - Help a senior citizen learn how to use technology such as a computer or smartphone. You can contact a local senior center for a list of potential candidates.
8. Help Get Kids Get Active - Encourage children to become physically fit by volunteering with groups such as Play60, the National Football League's youth fitness campaign. Opportunities include helping with physical fitness activities in school, fundraising for after school programs and more. 
9. Join a Nonprofit Board - Sites like Volunteer Match allow nonprofits to post openings for board positions, often based on areas of expertise like marketing, real estate development and more, so you can share your specific gift with those who need it.
10. Become a Coach - Volunteer to lead a child's sports team through your local school, church or recreation department.

Kindness is Contagious

When we take the time to volunteer, we find those that we touch are better for it. That kindness is then passed on to the next person in need. Sometimes we think money is the only way to help a non-profit organization or a person in need. Although donations may help, cash won’t always make the difference. Volunteering your time, expertise and abilities will make the world a better place.

If you have learned anything from my story, I hope it’s that you don’t have to know it all. You just have to be willing to jump in when needed. Never hesitate to contact your local financial center for advice on teaching your children the benefits of saving money or responsible spending. We Florida Financial enjoys being part of making the world kinder and we hope you do too!

Photo by The Tampa Bay Estuary Program on Unsplash