Helping Your Child Become a Responsible Citizen: Activities III

Our Heroes!

Heroes are everywhere, and sharing stories about them can help children understand what qualities it takes to be a hero and what heroism really means.

What You Need

Family photographs; newspaper pictures of local people who have been recognized for community service, bravery or selfless acts; pictures from books or the Internet of people in history or current events whom we admire.

What to Do

	By the stories we tell about the people we admire, we can inspire children and remind them of the qualities of character that we think are important.

• Talk with your child about what it means to be a hero. Ask him what he thinks a hero is and what qualities a hero has to have. Ask him who his heroes are and why.

• Select a photo of someone in your family who has an admirable quality or who performed a courageous act. You might choose a grandparent who left everything behind to immigrate to the United States or your mother who sacrificed so that you could have a good education or your father who fought in a war. Sit with your child and tell him about the relative's life. Talk with him about the qualities of character that the relative showed—courage, self-discipline, responsibility, citizenship, and so forth.

• Show your child newspaper pictures of local people who have performed acts of courage or service to the community. Talk with your child about what the people did and why they are considered "heroes."

• Show your child pictures of figures, living and dead, who have been called heroes. Choose people whom you admire and feel comfortable talking about with your child. In addition to well-known individuals, you might choose groups of people, such as the firefighters and police officers who sacrificed their lives at the World Trade Center in September 2001.

How Can I Be of Service?

From an early age, children benefit from giving their time and efforts to help others.

What to Do

	Research has found that children's participation in community service programs, especially when combined with reflection about the importance of serving others, can make important contributions to their character development.

• Talk with your child about the importance of charitable work and serving others. Point out that such work is an important part of living in a civil and democratic society.

• Help your child think about age-appropriate things that she can do to serve the community. For example, your young child might help you sort items for recycling or give money from her piggy bank to a charitable group. An older child might participate in walks for charity, volunteer at animal shelters or visit residents of a local nursing home.

• Find information about community service organizations and share it with your child. You can begin by going to the Web site for the newly created Freedom Corps— www.usafreedomcorps.gov/—and looking for possibilities for volunteering and community service. You might also download or order Students in Service to America: A Guidebook for Engaging America's Students in a Lifelong Habit of Service at www.studentsinservicetoamerica.org; or call toll-free 1-866-245-7378, ext. 272, to order. A nominal fee may be charged for reproduction and distribution of this product.

Coping

Everyone faces hardships at some point in life. Children need to learn skills and qualities that can help them survive difficult situations.