The Why
The kiddo has a birthday coming up. There is no way around it, it's going to be a spectacle. Try as I may to rein-in expectations, She has been making drafts of her guest-list since she turned 7. Without admitting that efforts to stop this thing would end in me being steamrolled, I'm choosing a different strategy. I'm going to try to harness the momentum of her growing excitement about turning 8 for what I hope will be the satisfaction garnered from doing for others. Enter, 8 Awesome Acts.
The What
When I introduced the idea of the 8 Awesome Acts, the kid was all in. While I was prepared to give my hard sell, she was excited at the prospect of celebrating her birthday all month long! Below are the 8 things we came up with:
1. Give blood - While it will be me that gives, I want her to see how something so small can save lives.
2. Not drive our car for a weekend - Her idea; apparently it's an act of kindness for the planet.
3. Pick up trash at the park - Again, her idea; I guess we'll need something to do with all the driving we won't be doing.
4. Donate old books and toys - her idea, and I'm proud of her for it.
5. Make cookies and a card for a teacher who she's connected with at school - her idea of an Awesome Act she can do with her mom.
6. Hashtaglunchbag - Hashtaglunchbag is a family-friendly monthly volunteer effort to make and distribute meals to the homeless. We agree that it would be a great way to end her birthday month.
7. Art Supplies Donation to Hashtaglunchbag - At each hashtaglunchbag, there are stations for volunteers to decorate bags and include positive messages. We agreed that contributing some extra supplies would be an awesome way to support a great cause.
8. Collecting 100 cans of food to donate to the Capital Food Bank - We agreed that this would be a great way to support families in need. She thinks the number is a bit high, I think the number is way too low, we'll see.
My hope is that the experience not only shows her that with a little effort, we can make an impact in the lives of others but also introduces her to incredible organizations doing great work in her community.
Check back at the end of the month, I'll let you know how it went.
Comments