Although being sick is absolutely no fun, I have been able to slow down and take some time to think about concepts my MOPS mommy group discussed a few weeks ago. We talked about family values, and if we have any set of values that we follow. I thought this was a great question! Aside from the usual golden rule, thou shall not steal, and so on and so forth, what values do I want to share with Gabriel as he gets older? What do I want him to remember and emulate? And how in the world do I even go about doing it?
Both my husband and I have had numerous discussions throughout the years about what we value most. As a part of discovering more of our values, I looked back at the last year to highlight some experiences that demonstrated a value of ours in action. After spotting a few examples, I quickly realized there was a theme unfolding! I thought about some events I was a part of during my pregnancy with Gabriel. I found an example of something that I really enjoyed doing, and I wanted to share it with you, and hope that it inspires you to give back.
Every other weekend, I volunteered at the local assisted living facility and painted the residents nails. It wasn't much, but I was able to share a little bit of what I know how to do well. I have never had any of what most people would consider huge talent. When I was younger I played violin for a little while, but hardly good enough to write home about! I dabble in art from time to time, but again I'm no Picasso. I may not have those very amazing talents, but I still have something to offer and that is: service. Let me tell you the light in those ladies eyes when they told me to go bold with color was priceless. And I still remember the little old lady that told me she felt so very special, as I was the first person to ever paint her nails!
I know that service is a family value that I want Gabriel to hold on to as he grows. And even though he is still too small for me to take him everywhere to volunteer, I can teach him these values at home. It can also be difficult to make things happen at home while all of this winter weather keeps us copped up inside. However, we can still give back as a family with the items that we purchase from home. I've found several brands that we support as a family that give part of their proceeds to charity. This has become a great way for our family to give back while he is still small. As we shop even for his baby shoes, we are helping another family out!
I encourage you to check out these links, and take some time to discuss with your family about what you value. I also encourage you to find any other local, or international brands that give back to the community. I am a strong believer in being cognizant of how families can be involved in serving others. As parents we have an amazing opportunity to teach our children to be engaged citizens in their community. We can teach them the value of giving back in both service and time.
Abrazos,
Keila
1. Chooze Shoes - adorable shoes for kids!
2. Skip Hop- every thing baby!
3. United Way- great organization that points you to both local and national community outreach
4. Every Day Icing- cute accessories and clothing for women
I completely agree with you. My parents since we were little taught us to always give back even though we didn't have much at the time. I have wonderful memories of going every 3-4 months to the local orphanage and giving some of my clothes and toys to them. All of my siblings, including myself, now dedicate ourselves to public service and we enjoy doing it 100 percent of the time. So I applaud you momma for recognizing this important value and keeping the wheel of giving with your baby.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment Cosette! I too have awesome memories of doing Missionary work with my parents! It is so wonderful to hear more momma's talk about giving back and teaching our little one's the value in it!! :) I hope you're having a great weekend with your family!!
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