Teaching Generosity with Kids

How will generosity take form with your family this season? It’s important to teach kids that generosity is expressed not just as money and offerings, but as time, physical contributions and even simple acts of kindness.

“Generosity is like a muscle; you can start small and build it up – but the important thing is to start.”

Need ideas for ways your family can practice kindness and compassion? Consider these 5 generous acts:

1. Volunteer Together: Whether it's doing a special holiday service project together or simply practicing kindness towards friends, neighbors and the community, your family’s time volunteering together will be a well-spent lesson in generosity. These 10 Family Volunteer Tips will help your family get started.

A new, innovative way families and community members are making a difference is through Thrivent Action Teams – volunteer teams led by Thrivent members that address unmet community needs. With seed money and promotional supplies provided by Thrivent Financial, a leading financial services organization "connecting faith and finances for good," Thrivent Action Teams are an incredible way for Thrivent members to make an impact where they live, work and worship. Learn more.

2. Give What You Get: For each gift your family members receive this holiday season (kids and parents included), make it a new tradition to give one gift back. Your “gift” can be anything, from volunteer time to a hug, a special card, a sweet treat … you name it! Valuing the importance of giving as much as getting can be a recurring mantra for your generous family. Check out “Four Simple Ways to Give” from Thrivent Financial, click here.

3. Know What You Need: Easy, intuitive ways for young children to learn generosity is through understanding needs and wants. Take time as a family to sift through gently used clothes, books and toys and donate them to nonprofit organizations. This is an active way to practice generosity and give back to the community. Bonus idea: Shopping for a big holiday dinner? Ask your kids to help pick out a few delicious, nonperishable items to give to the local foodbank, too.

4. Be Thoughtful: A generous approach to giving is a thoughtful one. Find out what unmet needs resource-limited families in your community have this season. Maybe they need heating assistance, gently used blankets and coats for winter or specific foods. Connect with organizations that can help your family’s contribution make a real-world impact and follow up to find out how your donation or assistance will help.

5. Make it a Priority: Your kids will know giving back is an important part of your family’s priorities when it is a regularly scheduled occurrence. With parties, performances and travel, volunteering and helping others can become an afterthought. Add generosity to your family calendar with a special service project or appropriate acts of kindness during the season (e.g., shoveling an elderly neighbor’s walkway or baking cookies for the local fire department).

DIY Thankful Trees to Make With Kids

During this season of THANKS, express gratitude and appreciation in your home, classroom and with your volunteer group with a creative and multi-purpose "Thankful Tree" to display. Check out these creative gratitude tree ideas:

Cheers to Margie Flowers, Boy Scouts Volunteer, Des Moines, Iowa,

Troop 22 is a branch of the Boy Scouts club and participates in a number of service and volunteer opportunities. All of these events require tons of support from volunteers, which is where Troop 22 seeks help from VolunteerSpot!

Tell us about your role as a parent volunteer leader with Troop 22.

I have been involved as a volunteer with Troop 22 since our middle son joined the troop. Our youngest recently went off to college and aged out, but my husband and I continue to stay involved because we believe in the mission of the Boy Scouts.

Why did you decide to use VolunteerSpot?

I found VolunteerSpot in a Google search and was pleasantly surprised by all of its capabilities that were also free! I felt like the programmers must have spent some time with non-computer savvy people to get a feel for how to make the experience friendly and comfortable for those of us who are not as familiar with all the bells and whistles and just want to keep things simple!

What kinds of Scout activities do you coordinate with VolunteerSpot?

We used VolunteerSpot for the very first time when we fundraised at the State Iowa Fair. I’m also using it to sign up volunteers for an activity we do every week – assist our charter organization with their weekly BINGO night.

What other activities are you involved in as a volunteer? How do you handle the parent 'juggle'?

I’m now in “Grandparent Mode,” which is a wonderful place to be! I only do the things that I want to, and when it is convenient for me! We raised five kids and as I look back I sometimes wonder how we managed to do it all but I guess when you’re raising kids you don’t have the luxury of wondering, you just do it!

What’s one piece of advice you have for parents considering volunteering out there?

If I were to offer advice to parents about volunteering, I would urge them to consider the impact their service has on the ability to offer some of the activities their children want to participate in. Many of them are not even possible without active volunteers. The biggest benefit I got from being involved with my kids’ activities is that I knew the other families. I knew which kids had values similar to ours and which kids needed a little more understanding because their families didn’t give them the same kind of love and support that my kids got.

We salute Margie and all the other volunteers making a difference in their communities. Check out how VolunteerSpot’s Volunteer Software can save you time and stress and boost parent involvement in your school. Take a tour today!

Remember to Hydrate During the Holidays!

What's on your holiday dinner shopping list? Did you remember water?

It's so easy for busy families to get caught up in the hub bub of the holiday season - whether it's traveling, shopping or class partying, and that often means healthy hydration goes out the window. Did you know 54% of all school-aged children are inadequately hydrated. This shockingly high number alarmed Nestle® Pure Life®, and they’re creating efforts to reduce it. Nestlé® Pure Life® has committed to provide nearly one million 8 ounce servings of water to kids this school year through After-School All-Stars. Additionally, they’re helping consumers keep their own families hydrated with information and tips on PureLifeRippleEffect.com.

Check out these 3 easy ways for families to remember to stay hydrated this holiday season:

Opt for water at holiday celebrations: Eating out with the grandparents? Attending the school holiday carnival? The Nestlé®Pure Life® Survey found that kids are most likely to choose a drink other than water at restaurants (54% soda) and celebrations (58% soda). Instill a water-first habit in your kids, which simply means, before juices, sport drinks, and soda, they drink a full serving (or 2!) of water.

Add festive flair to your water bottles: Purchase inexpensive holiday straws and cup holders while checking off your holiday gift list and stash them around the house for kids to add to their favorite bottle or cup of water. Throw a couple in as stocking stuffers too!

Set reminders: The Nestlé®Pure Life® Survey revealed that a startling 33% of kids say they find it hard to remember to drink water without reminders while less than half (48%) of moms regularly remind their child to drink water. The chaos of the holiday season can make remembering to drink water regularly even harder! Easy reminders for kids and moms include drinking a glass of water each time you use the restroom, drinking a glass of water when you wake up in the morning and then with each meal too.

Engaging & Involving School Parents

In my work with schools, I’ve seen many happily engaged parent communities. But sometimes, things go wrong--often unexpectedly. School roll out initiatives that they think will benefit students and parents feel out of the loop. Sometimes parents get confused or upset. Or parents use social media to discuss frustrations with a school decision, without communicating directly with administrators and teachers.

What's going wrong? Instead of reacting defensively to the criticism that parents express, schools can do research to better understand parents' concerns. When parents have concerns, they should do research too. Who put in place the policy that you object to. Was there a reason offered? Find out as much as you can BEFORE diving into a crusade!

Focus groups are a great technique to truly uncover and understand parents' perspectives. If the school is changing its approach to grading, parents will need a LOT of help understanding the reasons and what this means for their kids. Anxiety is a typical response to a big change in the what many parents see as the most important indicator of how their child is doing in school. Surveys can miss the nuances, focus groups allow you to delve deeper into particular issues. It's often difficult for parents to see the wider benefits of such initiatives.

When you have a new initiative, consider bringing in an outside voice to speak to parents. You could bring a speaker about new approaches to educational technology and digital citizenship, standards based grading, nutrition, bullying, student voice, sex education, etc. Anything new happening at school is worth several community-wide conversations, as well as smaller group chats, social media engagement and possibly even an old-school flier or bulletin board display! Some events can be led by parents, some by school personell, and others by an outside speaker.

Finally, schools need to be sure there is a place for parent feedback. Sometimes administrators get upset when parents use district social media to air their concerns….but they haven’t always made a more appropriate space available. If schools do make a parent feedback page or regular coffee with the principal or other mechanism available, they should make sure to publicize the results so the wider community knows that feedback is responded to! Crucially, empowering teachers to address parental concerns will go a long way toward successful implementation. Parents first line of communication with school is usually their child’s teacher.

Ultimately, keeping parents engaged and informed about what’s happening at school is an ongoing and dynamic process. Very often, a few small changes can have a huge impact on improving parent engagement and improving the tone of parent-school communication!

About the Author: Devorah Heitner, PhD is the founder and director of Raising Digital Natives, a resource for parents and schools seeking advice on how to help children thrive in a world of digital connectedness. 17,000 people have viewed her recent TEDx on Empathy in the Digital Age. An experienced speaker, workshop leader, and parent coach, Dr. Heitner speaks at schools across the United States. She is writing a handbook for parents, titled, “Raising Your Digital Native.” Dr. Heitner has a Ph.D. in Media/Technology and Society from Northwestern University she is delighted to be raising her own digital native, too.

Music for Road Trips that Won't Drive You or the Kids Crazy

We love family roadtrips! In the last 3 years alone, we’ve driven more than 20,000 miles around the US and Canada with our kids – and no electronics (e.g. DVD players, tablets, handheld video games, iPods, etc). So how do we survive? Music. While electronics are great, they tend to be exclusive creating separate experiences for parents & kids. The beauty of listening to music during a family roadtrip is that everyone can share the same travel experience. The music becomes the soundtrack to the scenery passing by the windows. The natural interruptions between songs and albums create opportunities for conversations and travel games. So the next question is – what music? For us, the key discovery was “Kindie” music.

What is Kindie music? In short, it is music for kids that adults can also enjoy. Kindie artists are independent singer/songwriters, duos, and bands that include musical styles such as rock, pop, hip-hop, folk, country, and jazz. You might be familiar with Kindie artists without even knowing it – Postmodern Jukebox? They Might Be Giants? Presidents of the United States? The Del Fuegos? The Verve Pipe? Velocity Girl? The Bouncing Souls? The Walkmen? Rissi Palmer? Artists from all of these bands (and in some cases the whole band) are active in the Kindie music scene.

The Verve Pipe Family Show (Photo credit: The Verve Pipe)

Where do you find Kindie music? Many places! Nationally, SiriusXM KidsPlaceLive Channel 78 is the flagship source of Kindie. A few local radio stations, National Public Radio, and podcasts, such as Spare the Rock, Saturday Morning Cereal Bowl, and WXPN Kids Corner feature Kindie artists. Music services such as Amazon Prime and Rhapsody Kids have started offering Kindie as part of their plans. Kindie compilations are available from groups like Mighty Mo Productions and Kindiependent. Finally the best place to find their work, is to go directly to the Kindie artists and support their independent music.

When we set out on a roadtrip, we alternate between music our kids like (such as Kindie music we also enjoy) and music we like (that is okay for the kids) using three general strategies:

We will play a Kindie CD/mix that our kids like, followed by CD/mix we like, and repeat.

We love satellite radio for roadtrips because whether in Canada, the Keys, or California, you never have to change the station (unless you want to). Like #1, we will start with SiriusXM KidsPlaceLive, switch to other channels we might also enjoy, and circle back.

If your vehicle has the ability to play music from an external source (i.e. USB drive, MP3 player, etc), and you’re up for it, our kids really enjoy “Parent Radio.” With “Parent Radio,” one of us will be the “radio DJ” mixing in songs from the full spectrum of music along with “requests” and “call-ins” from the kids. You will be surprised to see how seamlessly you can mix Kindie with almost any other music you already have.

Listening to music as a family on a roadtrip opens everyone’s ears and lifts their eyes to the world around them. So hit the road with your family this holiday season and share the journey, not just the destination.

About Full Van Fun:

Full Van Fun (www.fullvanfun.com) is focused on bringing families together to enjoy a shared experience. We present stories, interviews, tips, reviews, and more about exciting destinations, great music, and scratch-made Farm to Family food that the "full van" (i.e. parents & kids) can enjoy. Sign up for our mailing list and follow us on Facebook so you don’t miss any of the fun!

Meal Labels & Food Tags | Free Printables

Baking something sweet for the holiday potluck or Thanksgiving dinner? Taking a meal to an elderly neighbor? Add a special touch to your extra special dish with a cute label or food tag. Right click on your favorite below and download to print for your own use, enjoy!

The good news: you don’t have to know everything. There are some great ways to know just enough to help you make decisions! It is not possible stay on top of it all! That’s why I’ve made it my mission to be your mentor and guide and help you wade through the tech jungle that is your child’s world. Next time you are faced with this kind of plea from your digital native, try these steps:

1. WADE IN >>

Ask. If your kids wants and app, she can teach you about it. Invite your child to tell you everything she knows about the app and why she wants the app. (besides because “all my friends are on it.”) What is the draw for her? How will she use it? Is it a game? A social app? How much personal information is shared? How do other kids act towards each other in that space? How does it make people feel? Make it a prerequisite that if she is getting an account, that you and she will sit down and interact with it – together.

Consult. Ask a local “expert” for advice. This can be anyone– an older cousin, your college-aged niece, the intern at your office who is all over social media. Find a reliable young person a few years older than your own kid to give you the down low.

Research. Google the app, bring in a school speaker to talk to all the parents in your community, or check out a resource like Canada’s Media Smarts.

2. GO DEEPER >>

For Games: Check it out without buying it. Play a trial of the game. Go to Youtube and watch some gameplay videos with your child. Read reviews on Amazon.

For Social Apps:

Instagram: If you want to know more about what people do on Instagram, you can go to the to a web viewer and search for …anything. You’ll see the cute...and the not so cute content available on the app. Just put a number sign (hashtag) before a word and search away!

Try searching for #pandas...or try something naughtier–what might your 12 year old search for? Yes, I know kids are supposed to be 13 to use most social apps, including Instagram, but many kids have Instagram accounts before they arrive at that milestone.

Know what’s out there, but don’t assume that just because there is instaporn that your child knows this or wants to see it. Just because inappropriate content can be found on an app, doesn’t mean that is what your son or daughter is looking for…but do remember that user generated content is not rated the way movies would be…and that most of these companies are WAY to small to adequately screen content.

Snapchat: You can use the app to send images that “disappear” after a few seconds, or you can create a snapchat story that lasts 24 hours. One 15 year old talks about what a bummer it can be to see yourself excluded on Snapchat stories and images here.

Many social apps can be opened in a web browser and which lets you view the content pretty easily. Check out “Who’s here “ on Ask.Fm. And of course, you can always download the app and try it yourself. As a general rule, social apps that skew toward anonymity seem most likely to foster mean behaviors. Human beings don’t seem to do their best when hanging out anonymously.

If you are thinking about giving permission, after doing research, here are some questions to discuss with your child:

Ask him to show you a an example of someone’s social account that he doesn’t think is appropriate and one he thinks is smart and cool.

Work with your child to generate a list of do’s and don’ts for the new app.

For a social app, what is the criteria for connecting with someone?

What is the potential for conflict? Can they give an example of how to avoid conflict and drama?

What privacy settings will he use?

How much time will she be allowed to spend using the app, and under what conditions?

Is having her password a condition of use? Being “friends” or “following” her?

Does she know how to avoid “geotagging” herself, leaving a trail of data?

How will he decide what can be shared or not shared?

Wading in, going deeper and then having an honest discussion with your child is a great way to keep up with the apps she’s using and make sure what she downloads is safe and fun. If the app seems to be dialing up stress, taking away from other pursuits (sleep, homework, family time) or is having any other negative effects, then it is time to rethink.

About the Author: Devorah Heitner, PhD is the founder and director of Raising Digital Natives, a resource for parents and schools seeking advice on how to help children thrive in a world of digital connectedness. 17,000 people have viewed her recent TEDx on Empathy in the Digital Age. An experienced speaker, workshop leader, and parent coach, Dr. Heitner speaks at schools across the United States. She is writing a handbook for parents, titled, “Raising Your Digital Native.” Dr. Heitner has a Ph.D. in Media/Technology and Society from Northwestern University she is delighted to be raising her own digital native, too.

5 Family Giving Activities | Season of Thanks

With the season of thanks officially upon us, it’s time to coordinate real-world giving opportunities for your family. Check out 5 unique giving ideas below and start a new tradition with your family!

1. Halloween Candy Buy-Back: Sitting on pounds of Halloween candy well after the holiday? Sort and send it to Operation Gratitude to be shipped in care packages to troops overseas! They’ll accept donations up through 11/15. Directions, resources and outreach materials here.

2. Red Robin Royalty Program: Did you know that each time you dine at Red Robin, you could be giving back a percent of your check to your child’s school? Their unique royalty program that dolls out tons of surprises to members including free birthday burgers and exclusive savings also supports schools. Register your free account and start earning cash for your school today!

3. Adopt-a-Family: Give your family the opportunity to express true thanks this season by making the holidays brighter for another family. Connect with your church, temple or faith group – or search local nonprofits that organize Giving Tree events. Take the entire family shopping, wrap the gift together and have a conversation about giving and gratitude.

4. Give One, Get One: Turn a gift-giving tradition into a new family mantra – for each gift a child receives, they must return one. It can be to anybody – friend, family, pet, organization, teacher, etc. And it can be anything including gifts, time, compliments, a hug, you name it, let your child decide.

5. Giving on the Go: Family travel a large part of your holiday season? Seek out special opportunities for your family to give while you’re on the road! Stop at a Red Robin for dinner and donate money to your child’s school, learn more. Pack extra granola bars and water bottles to hand out to homeless people you pass on your trip. Or if getting together with extended family, plan an afternoon service project together like a neighborhood clean-up or family charity hot chocolate stand!

More about Red Robin Royalty: Give back 1% of your check to your child’s school everytime you dine at Red Robin! It’s easy to sign up and start earning today, click here. Plus, you’ll get bonus rewards and savings too, just for being a member! Get started