No data - just a gut feeling

Do you ever get tired of all the research people throw around?  I know I do.  I learned too that there is research for everything!  Sometimes I read a research title and think, Really!  Someone actually wanted to know about that?  Someone spent time researching that? Now,  do not get me wrong, there is research that is needed and valid.   But what I learned early on about some research is that it is done by the company touting something and has never been replicated.  What I mean is a particular company may be saying glowing things about their product and spouting research that supports great results.  Great, you say.  However, what they don't tell you is that they are the only ones who did the research on a controlled group and it's never been conducted by an outside, independent source - replicated.

I love research, truly I do, but I love common sense and following our gut too.  It's hard to present facts or data based on 'gut feelings' but I think they are just as important.  I have said it before I think it's hard to raise a child today.   Everywhere you turn someone (even me) has an opinion, a social media site, a blog,  a website, it's crazy!  If you follow anything on the political scene with public education you have certainly realized there is no common sense either!

We know colleges now look for students to be 'well-rounded.'   They don't want the straight A student with the perfect GPA who did nothing but study (they probably want a few).  They want kids who have volunteered, who have 'given back', they are looking for kids who played sports in addition to getting good grades.   In other words, they want kids.

So if we know this, why wait until their high school years to start this?  When a young adult tells me, Oh I need to do this volunteer program because it will look good on my college application, I am tempted to say, Please don't bother. You see, to me, they are doing it for the wrong reason, they are doing it for the application not because it is a kind, thoughtful thing to do.

If we want kids to be life long givers, then let's start them participating in volunteer things as soon as they can.  Teach them how to write thank you notes.  Have them gather up old toys or clothes and actually take the clothes to a Clothes Closet or Goodwill, not out on the curb.  Choose a Salvation Army angel and let them go help buy the gifts.  If they are raising money for a cause, let them give some of their allowance to the cause too and not just collect from friends. Let them help serve breakfast at a shelter.  I think the list is endless.

I don't have any hard data from research that starting a child out early to volunteer and give back creates a life long giver or that it creates a more compassionate adult.  It makes sense though to me and I have a gut feeling it may be true.  Maybe if we started our kids out at an early age to care about others and not wait until they are seniors and need 'volunteer hours' for an application, our world would improve.  No data, just a gut feeling.