I recently met a mom who felt her four kids didn’t appreciate how good they have it – so she is taking them to a soup kitchen this week. She’s hoping that doing community service will give them a greater perspective on the world, help them appreciate what they have, and get a chance to find out how good it feels when they help someone else.

These are good messages for teens. Why not consider asking your child to help out in your community? Help him or her find a focus — something that is meaningful to him personally, rather than an obligation to fulfill. This could spark an interest in a certain cause or organization, which will allow him to feel his impact on the world.

Here’s one 15-year-old’s experience on getting involved in community service – and her tips for other teens who want to make a difference.

If your son or daughter is already doing community service – be it for his resume, a school requirement or the kindness in his heart – ask your teen to reflect upon it. What does he like or dislike about it? What has he learned? How does it make him feel?

When your teen spends time and energy working on a cause she feels passionate about, she gets to see and feel her impact on the world. She also gets some great practice at planning and thinking ahead, both of which for teens (and their developing brain), is always a good idea.

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  Posted by: Joe Keenan