We have a confession to make…it’s been over 6 years since the last time since the elder Fives volunteered. Back before the Fives children were born, we used to donate blood, volunteer at soup kitchens, and things of that nature.  Notwithstanding  a few failed attempts (such as walking out of a blood drive after waiting for 45 minutes with the kids in tow), we haven’t even come close to going beyond wanting to volunteer to actually getting out and doing it.

Finding a volunteering opportunity that accepts young children, let alone has the flexibility to accommodate their ever-changing needs and moods, has seemed practically impossible. But in the end, it just took a quick internet search to find some other families that have written about family-friendly ways to volunteer. In retrospect, we could and should have taken the time to see what was out there much sooner. Here are some of our favorite articles:

* Ten Ideas for Volunteering with Young Children by Code Name: Mama
* 25 Ways to Volunteer with Young Children for #GivingTuesday by Naturally Educational
* Help the Homeless with Your Kids by Hobo Mama

We’ve decided to start small. Upon contacting a local hospital and assisted-living center, we are going to make get-well cards for those who need cheering up. With a a National Day of Service coming up on Saturday, January 19th to honor Martin Luther King, Jr., we have taken the Pledge to Serve and will be spending next Saturday making and dropping off homemade cards. Going forward we hope to devote at least a day per month to volunteering, and we’re super excited to find more ways to volunteer on the fly, no matter where we are.