If you’d love to share your passion for volunteering on a global scale with your partner and children, continue reading to discover 6 family friendly volunteering tips, which will ensure that your next adventure as a family runs as smoothly as possible.
6 Family friendly volunteering tips:
1. Opt to volunteer for short periods of time
While you may be comfortable with the idea of spending several weeks volunteering in a far-flung remote village, halfway across the globe. If you plan on volunteering with your kids in tow, you’re far better off looking for shorter volunteer opportunities.
As while your kids will relish making seeing the difference that their effort makes to others lives, kids have less energy reserves as adults and may experience more culture shock than you do. So it’s best to opt for short-term volunteering experiences, which are a week or shorter in length.
2. Make sure that your kids have adequate time to explore foreign destinations before and after your volunteering commitments
While volunteering may be the primary aim of your trips, it’s important to look after your kids so that they don’t burn out, by spending a few days before and after each volunteering commitment in a comfortable, western hotel. You may even want to consider letting each kid select an activity or attraction, which they’d love to visit. Remember that a trip which is comprised of long hours of work and no play isn’t fair on your children.
3. Get your kids involved in planning your family volunteering adventures
One way to get your kids excited for your next volunteering trip is to involve them in planning your next trip. As an example, once you’ve narrowed down your possible adventures to 3 final options, you may want to let your children decide which destination, you should travel to as a family!
4. Don’t push your kids to do anything they don’t want to do
As an example, if the volunteering opportunity you select involves spending lots of time in the hot sun and one of your children complains about being tired and exhausted, either yourself or your partner should take your child back to air-conditioned accommodation.
5. If possible, opt for accommodation that offers a decent level of comfort
While it may not be possible in every location which you choose to visit when possible try to opt for accommodation which boasts air-conditioning as well as comfortable bedding. As it’s crucial that your kids get adequate rest, whilst you’re traveling overseas.
6. Pack some of your kids’ favorite snacks in your backpack or suitcase
While your children should be encouraged to try new foods in each of the countries, which you travel to as a family, it’s well worth packing each of your children’s favorite snacks. So that they can enjoy a little taste of home if they feel homesick at any time.
So if you can’t wait to share your love for volunteering on a global scale with your family, it’s well worth taking the 6 tips listed above to heart, in order to plan the family volunteering experience of a lifetime.