Moms Talk: Volunteering During the Holiday

Every few weeks our Moms Council discusses a different parenting issue. Join the conversation by weighing in on a topic, or ask our panel of experts your question.

We put this week's question to our North Potomac-Darnestown Patch for their ideas and advice. The suggestions don’t end here. Add your own tips and advice in the comments section below.

This week's question comes from , a North Potomac-Darnestown Moms Council member:

During the "season of giving" when there is so much focus on material gifts, and our children tend to get consumed with the toys and presents, do you attempt to teach your children about the importance of giving (not just material items) to others?  If so, how?  Do you have any special traditions or volunteer activities you partake in over the holiday season?

: The past couple years, we have “adopted” a family in need from our school community. The counselor provides information on the family, including children’s ages, sizes, interests & general needs. We take our kids to purchase items for this anonymous family. When we compare the list of “needs” to the Santa lists my kids generate, it really puts things in perspective.

: Christmas is my favorite holiday. We have a tradition of giving and volunteering throughout the year. Now that the kids are older we do even more. So when it comes to Christmas I keep it all about family and friends, again with older children (13 and 15) it's not so much about the presents, mine don't really want much, it's more about being together as a family, talking to family overseas, cooking together, relaxing etc.. things that we'd like to do more of during the year but don't due to busy schedules.

: One of our family's favorite traditions each year is to participate in our synagogue's (Shaare Torah in the Lakelands) First Responder Community Service Project. On Christmas Day, several families from the congregation get together to assemble platters of home baked goodies to be delivered to first responders (police, fire, EMS, etc.) who have to work, and be apart from their families on Christmas Day. The children help bake, decorate "thank you" notes for the first responders, and help assemble the platters. Our kids especially enjoy the activity because they get to bring the finished platters to the fire and police stations and in the process learn how it feels just as good to give to others as it does to receive.