I wanted to share something with you from the new December issue of Reader’s Digest – Raising Kids Who Care.   The story offers 5 different ways for kids to get started, stay committed, and make a real difference.  The advice comes from families that have tried the methods and succeeded.

Here are two ways featured in the article:

-Start them young: A mother from Darien, Connecticut got her 3 children involved in various volunteer organizations through Kids Care Clubs when her oldest was just 10 years old (now 20).  They all took different paths, but they carried those lessons throughout their adolescence and are each still involved with volunteer work.

-Involve their friends: A mother from Lake Oswego, Oregon attended a mother-daughter meeting of the National Charity League in an attempt to have more quality time with her two young children.  The kids didn’t go willingly, but once they knew their friends were involved, they felt more comfortable.  The eldest child, now 23, is in her second year with Teach for America. She remembers that her peer involvement from when she was younger made the experience fun and cool.

You can find the complete article online: http://www.rd.com/living-healthy/raising-kids-who-care/article104653.html