Random acts of kindness - SIP Summer Camp Week 7

Week 7

Random Acts of Kindness

One of our dogs took off yesterday night we looked for her but to no avail so when we headed out the next morning to go to the hospital I was feeling kinda down and we were running late on top of it. My patience was short as my daughter kept asking questions about the dog, questions that required too much thought for my tired brain and heavy heart. We made a sprint through Sam's club to grab the candy bars and I happened to pick the cart with the squeaky wheel of course. We made it out with one item?! That has never happened before, pretty sure we broke some kind of Sam's club record. Who come's out of Sam's with only one item? Have you? It is my first time and probably my last. FYI we got 48 full size candy bars for $23. 

We did make it to the hospital on time, phew. My little turkeys outsdie of Presbryterian Hospital. Holding candy bars and little quotes on cards.

I knew I wanted to do a random acts of kindness for SIP Summer Camp but was thinking we would bake cookies and put them in cellophane bags with a nice note. I also thought we would go to an outdoor mall. Then I found this post and thought duh...a hospital. However I wasn't sure how trusting people would be of someone handing out home made cookies. It's hard to find something that appeals to everyone. Candy bars come pre-packaged, it's more of an investment money wise but easier since I don't have to actually bake anything. My SIL suggested we hand out cold water bottles too, brilliant, water appeals to everyone! Maybe you could pick a street corner by your house and hand out cold water bottles? I whipped up the cards in photo shop and we were set.

Free printables for water bottle labels and cards.

Yes the last quote is missing a word, whoops!

While we were waiting for everyone to get there...

 Though my heavy heartedness was lifted as we passed out our goods I just didn't feel like I was thinking super clear. I didn't take as many timely photos as I feel I normally would have. It also didn't help that I was carrying a box of candy bars, a purse on my shoulder a camera and trying to make sure we didn't lose any kids. 

My daughter with a gentlemen she gave a candy bar to. He was with a few others and they seemed to get a kick out of the kids.

Our group shot...minus a kid and one that's behind another kid.

On our way out and with the last remaining candy bars the kids passed them out to the nurses in the back ground. They also got a kick of the kids running back and forth to grab more candy bars for them.

 As me and the other moms were chatting my son went up to Shirley the women in the picture below and started talking to her. She asked what we were doing there and she was very touched by our service. As we talked more we found out that she volunteers at the hospital in the pediatric wing before we knew it we were headed up to the pediatric wing for a tour. She had been bringing stuff up to the wing from her car.

She took us to Rachel's Court a play area for the kids. Before it was built there was no place for patients to play at the hospital. I had a great conversation with one of the workers, not sure what her title was, I cant' remember which I know is totally lame. I guess what stood out most in our conversation as I asked her about the needs they have was that she wished people volunteered there all year long. While they are grateful for all the volunteers during the holidays there are kids at the hospital all year long.

 Shirley gave all the kids a toy. Me and the other moms protested but she wouldn't have it.

                               She also took the kids to feed the fish. Me with my son Russel.

A few things to think about before you set out to do your random acts of kindness.

1. Talk to your kids about what you are doing and why. When we were sitting down outside waiting a couple approached us and asked if were were selling candy bars. They offered to give us money and when more people asked when I wasn't around my daughter would take their money. I didn't think about people offering to pay. It would have been bad timing to try and explain it as she has money in her hand in the midst of all of us handing out candy etc. 

2. When kids walk up to people with a candy bar and a little card people automatically assume you are selling the candy not giving it to them. I would tell them it's a random act of kindness, take it it's free. About a quarter or just under that of people would say no thanks. Some people don't know how to respond to kindness, don't be put out by that. The majority of people were very happy though.

3. The kids wanted to give most everyone candy, water, and a granola bar. My thinking is to spread it out. So whatever approach you want to take make sure the kids are on board. Kids are very naturally giving. All I am saying is talk to them about how much to give each person it's much easier to do it before hand then when it get's started.

4. Plan of attack. I didn't give any thought to who we would give it to. Except that we wouldn't go in to any patient rooms. As we were in the basement waiting for the elevator Stacey said "If I were in medical records, I would want a candy bar." Think about who works at a hospital and who you may want to single out. People stuck in the basement in medical records, janitors, nurses, volunteers. It would have been wise to think about that before hand. Glad Stacey was thinking!

This would be super easy to do on the fly. Pick up candy, water or whatever and start handing it out some place. Really not much planning involved. We will be doing this again in a week or two at a cancer treatment center. We had 3 families who couldn't come do to illness and scheduling conflicts. I feel very grateful to Misty and Stacey for coming with me this week for our ROAK. They are both incredible women, I really just adore them.

I would love to see any pics you take as you go out and do your RAOK or from any other post. Upload them to my Facebook page! I have really enjoyed my Face Book page more and more lately! It's a great way to interact with you and a way for me to share bits and pieces that I don't share on my blog. 

Also if you scroll to the top of my blog you will see that I added a way for you to follow by e-mail. 

I am thankful for everyone and their support of The SIP project, it's a work of love.

So you may be wondering about my dog. We found her but she has some spinal trauma. Our best guess is from being hit by a car. The vet injected the area with steroids and if she doesn't get movement back in her hind legs we will have to put her down. So, I am writing this post with a heavy heart today. My heart goes out to anyone who has suffered loss and is having a hard time. Going to the hospital for some ROAK did help, you always get more out of serving then you give, funny how that works.

Week 5 SIP Summer Camp - Tray Favors

If you have followed my blog long enough you will know my SIL Keri. She is one of the most gifted artists and story tellers I know *just ask her kids about the alligators that pull their van* that one was from a while ago but it's stuck with me. Keri is truly just a joy to be around. I see all the fun stuff she does with her kids and it's fun to see them grow and will be neat to see who they become because of their fabulous mom. Don't get me wrong her kids drive her bonkers as much as the next mom but that's just part of having kids! This service idea is really perfect in so many ways, please read on and you will see what I am talking about.

I once saw an object lesson where the teacher made a tall, beautiful red velvet cake with cream   cheese frosting. She talked about love and service and specifically the attitude with which we serve our families. She asked if anyone wanted a slice of cake and of course I raised my hand along with the rest of the group. She cut a beautiful large slice and placed it on a plate and then handed it to the girl sitting next to me. She gave her a fork and a napkin and asked if she needed anything else. She talked about how we all want to serve others with love and happiness. Then she turned to me - "You still wanna slice?" I said yes and in the next second her hand was digging into the cake and she was pulling off a chunk of frosted red crumbliness. She dropped it onto a napkin and handed it to me without another word. Everyone in the room was laughing, shocked at her abruptness and coarseness. Then she talked about how we tend to serve our families - giving them what they want but doing it begrudgingly. That image of her hand digging into the cake will forever be in my memory, along with the lesson that if I am going to do nice things for my family, I need to do it lovingly.
I think the same lesson applies to service in general. We should find joy in service because we are serving God as we help others.
Knowing all this, and feeling strongly about all of this, I still find it challenging to actually involve my kids in service, and to teach them how to do it without complaining.
My kids are the ones who fight over who gets the tall green cup, who sits next to mom, and who watches cartoons in the rocking chair. I am the mom who likes to sing out nice little quips like, "when we're helping we're happy," or "let us oft speak kind words to each other," just hoping that my small reminders will magically turn them into nicer people. They fight often enough that when they do treat each other nicely I find myself wondering what their ulterior motives are, but I am nonetheless relieved that maybe a little of what my husband and I are trying to teach them is getting through.
While I do hope that they learn from example that it's important to serve others, I think it's also important to actually give them chances to serve. So I was happy to find a small way that they could actually help other people in need. My women's group at church just did a service project for Presbyterian hospital. We made receiving blankets, collected books and magazines, and made tray favors. Tray favors are simple little notes with "get well" sentiments on them that go on the food trays for patients in the hospital. The service coordinator at Presbyterian said that sometimes they get tray favors made by children that they put on the trays of children in the hospital.
Perfect.
So for our family night this week I printed out some simple notes and then had the kids draw pictures on them. We talked about how I put notes in their lunches sometimes and how it makes them happy to find the notes at school. They all agreed that the kids at the hospital would be happy to get little notes, too. Our notes said, "Hope the rain brings some flowers," "Get whale soon!" "Here's some sunshine for your day," and "Feel better soon."
Jacob loved drawing octopus and whales


Beau colors better with his tongue out.

Rus enjoyed this activity because he said he could color like a kid and no one would know.

We made about forty tray favors in all.


A few days later we were able to deliver them to the service coordinator at the hospital. She said she would take them up to the children's ward that day and that they would be so happy to get their notes! My kids beamed and told her all about the ones that they colored.
When we got in the van my son Jacob said, "I'm glad we did that, Mom. It makes me feel good inside." Bekah and Beau agreed.
Success.
So check around...while I know it can be challenging to find ways for your children to help others, I know that there are opportunities out there, and the effort is wonderfully rewarding.
Thank you DeAnn and the SIP project summer camp for getting our family involved!
Keri Payne

A huge thank you to Keri for this weeks SIP Summer Camp post!

Have you missed any of the previous weeks? Scroll down and check them out! Also it wouldn't hurt my feelings if you left some comment love or if you wanted to show your support for The SIP project by sharing on Pinterest or Face Book or if you wanted to follow on Pinterest or Face Book, or just follow my blog. Next week I am going to start doing some giveaways that will only be announced on my Face Book page...just a little incentive to get over there and hit the like button! Now get...

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SIP Summer Camp Super Bubble Kit

Hello, Blogland and SIP fans! I'm DeAnn's sister, Amy, and I volunteered to take over this week for the SIP Summer Camp while she prepares for a wedding shoot. I have a little blog (ABC Delites) that chronicles life with three boys and a big boy (the hubster) along with some party planning ideas thrown in. WARNING: I have follow through problems this week. I had a fantastic idea in mind, one I saw on Pinterest and thought was particularly fitting for where we live. However, with the 4th of July and my hubs birthday, the week got away from me. I purchased everything I needed, but finding the time to put it together has been a challenge for me. So, I'm going to tell you our plan and I'll update later with pictures.

So this was my grand plan: Super Bubble Kits to beat some of the summer boredom that plagues our apartment building. We've been in our apartment for three months and the fire alarm has been pulled 14 times and counting. When we take walks or head down to the playground, I see kids that are clearly bored. This is a decent area, but it's a lot of working parents and older siblings taking care of the younger ones during the day. So, at least for the younger kids who my kids can identify with, we are going to make super bubble kits and hand them out. I don't care who you are, big bubbles are awesome. Shoot, little bubbles are fun, so SUPER bubbles are SUPER fun! I saw the idea on this blog via the beloved Pinterest. I bought enough materials for five kits.

Per kit you need:
2 dowels three feet in length (paint a fun color or keep au naturale)
Bowl (I bought a frisbee to double as a bowl)
2 eye screws
1 washer
12 feet cotton cording cut into two pieces 8 feet and 4 feet
Bottle for Super Bubble Solution
Sack to put it all in

You screw in the eye screws into the ends of two dowels. Thread one end of each length of cotton cording through the eye screw and tie a knot through one dowel. Slip the washer on the 8 foot length of cording then tie both lengths through the other dowel.

Super Bubble Solution:
12 cups water
1 cup dish soap
1 cup cornstarch
2 Tbsp baking powder (not soda)

Stir gently, do not create bubbles. Let sit for an hour, or even better, overnight before use. For longer lasting bubbles, and I couldn't make this up if I tried, there is a secret ingredient. I didn't notice on the original blog post until much later that a secret ingredient could be added. Now this is a family oriented blog, and I will keep it as such, but this ingredient is pretty grown up! I have never looked for this particular item at the Dollar Store, but alas, I found it and purchased it awkwardly at the insistence of the original post. Enough suspense: secret ingredient = personal lubricant. I never have bought anything as an adult that made me blush, but knowing it's purpose was not the intended use made me feel like a stupid teenager buying Midol, not wanting anyone to know I might have cramps, LOL! Dissolve the secret ingredient in warm water then add to bubble solution. It will be cloudy, just stir occasionally until all the cornstarch dissolves. Also included on the blog post are darling printables to make this a super duper cute gift.

I have talked to my boys (Cash, 6, Dodge, 3 and Easton, 1 who doesn't count just yet ) for a few weeks about what we are going to do to spread some summer fun around where we live. When we pass through the courtyard and see kids with Sharpees at the picnic tables writing on them or breaking glass bottles because they are there, I don't think it's because they are the bad seeds of the bunch, it's the old adage of idle hands do the devils work. My boys know that what those kids are doing is wrong, but what I want my boys to do is not judge them. I want them to learn that they don't need to join in on the juvenile delinquency, but they can invite the ne'er do wells to do something else; an alternative to destructive behavior. I want my boys to influence good without discounting the worth of others that maybe make different choices. They are excited to make new friends by sharing a gift that they helped make. I have invited some cousins to come along and help us find some candidates for our super bubble kits and I believe it will be a fantastic experience for them all. 

Sidenote: DeAnn's craft project post last week is something I also have in the works. It's a board with a pocket that holds cards with words of encouragement and love in them. We met a lady just down the hall from us that is obviously sick. Every time we see her she has bandages on her arms like blood was drawn. She walks very slowly and just doesn't seem like a whole, healthy person. However, she always smiles and makes small talk when she sees us. I just love the idea of giving someone the opportunity to have a little encouragement whenever they need it, right on demand. Who doesn't like a little instant gratification once in a while! I promise I will update all my little endeavors with pictures as soon as we are done :)

SIP Summer Camp - A Ray of Sunshine Craft

    

My kids patience with me taking photos has been VERY limited. The photo above was the best I could get in the 3mins they let me take photos of them modeling the service craft we did. She must be saying something to him in Tagalog cause he looks confused.

The service craft is a card holder. You make the card holder and write 10 cards or however many you want to the SAME person. The idea. Say you know someone who is battling cancer or some other disease or ailment. Or just anyone you want to shower with love or you know is having a hard time in some way. We are sending one to my grandma who lives alone and stays pretty busy but I know she gets really lonely. I don't live close enough to her to be there and give her a hug and hang out very often.  So when she feels the sky is looking pretty grey she can pull out an instant ray of sunshine to push those clouds away and pull in some sun. You can also tell the person to hang on to the card holder so you can replenish it when it's empty.

 Also if you don't feel like you can write 10 cards to one person - find small cards, cheating? Not if you are a person who isn't long winded like me. Just find a card size you know you fill up.Put your favorite quotes on the cards and share why the quote lifts you up. Tell them about how they have helped lift you in the past. Or just share fond memories the two of you have had together. Write a joke you know will really make them LOL.

In my head as I pictured how this activity would go with my kids I imagined me imparting to my kids the true value of service and how it makes us and others happy. Yeah...well it didn't go that way. I procrastinated putting this post up because I felt like I failed. But I know it's better to try and fail then not to have tried at all. My husband told me I didn't fail but I still kinda feel like I failed. I know they must have gotten something out of it...right? I know I learned a few things like what was I thinking my kids can't write yet, which makes it harder to do the important part, writing heartfelt cards. Yeah I can fill them out for them which I planned on doing but they also have a hard time really thinking about the person in a meaningful way. I am one of those parents who looks at toys and the age will say 8+ on the box and I will think oh...my 3 year old will totally love this, and I am wrong %90 of the time. This is one of those moments. Here is what I would do differently

-Pick a time when kids are the mellowest during the day or do something to help them focus or mellow out a little.

-Do the activity in 3 parts, you know your kids and if you think you can bust it out in one shebang go for it. 

1) make craft 

2) Talk to your kids about people you are writing cards to, and discuss service and why you do it and when (I did my best at this). Take a break, a few hours a day whatever works for you. 

3) come back and write cards.

Making the craft 

1) Glue scrapbook paper onto card board. 

No he's not playing air maracas he is pounding the paper onto the cardboard after he glued it on.

2)Cut scrap book paper out that you glued to cardboard with razor.

3) Paint card pockets. We used acrylic paint which took two coats of paint. I think spray painting would work great but I am not letting my 5 year old do that. The card board bends really easy so either measure out how big you want it to be and then make your folds or cut a small box that already has the folds (where the flaps are) so you don't have to measure it all out.

Here's my theory, we are all bipolar kids just don't know how to hide it like adults. Two pictures below taken within a few minutes of each other.

 Moving on...

4) Glue card pocket onto scrapbook paper with hot glue gun. Glue trim or ribbon on if you want to fancy it up some. I think it would be cute to glue a pom pom trim around 3 sides. Depending on your kids ages they will be able to do more or less of this craft. Some kids may enjoy using a Silhouette this is where it could come in handy, it would look much better to print out what you want it to say. As you can see my hand writing isn't great, maybe I should just tell them Zaya wrote it. Which I would have had her do if she had wanted to. If I were smart I would have done this with my talented scrapbooking friend Misty. If anyone does this project I would love to see your completed work, upload it onto The SIP project Facebook page so I can see it, please :) 

5) Make a stand for the back of your card holder and glue on with hot glue gun. Attach ribbon with hot glue to keep the cardboard stand from sliding out.

Your done with the craft!

I also thought I would share a game my husband used to do with his family growing up. This was great  to do while paint was drying. It's called Don't Eat Pete! Take a bunch of M&M's and put them on the table. Have one person turn around so they can't see the candy. Pick an M&M and name it Pete. Have the person turn around and start eating the M&M's one by one. When they pick up Pete everyone yells DON'T EAT PETE!!! It's easy and the kids love it!

My daughter is looking up at my husband wondering if she has Pete.

 The next day. My son was being super cooperative when it came time to write cards. Zaya got frustrated with the writing part. I had her practice on paper before she wrote it on the cards. I know the biggest thing is to keep trying, learn from my mistakes and don't give up. Teaching my kids about serving others is not going to happen all in one moment it's consistently doing for others and involving them that is going to have the biggest effect on them. I wanted them to have a good experience so if they got upset I didn't try and force them do finish it. I don't want them to associate frustration with service. When they get a little older I can do more to persuade them to finish what they start, at least that's my thinking.

I hope you found this post helpful in some way. I WILL be doing another post for SIP Summer Camp this week. It's already planned out and ready to go :) Also spread the word about SIP Summer Camp via Pinterest or Facebook or whatever I have no motive other then to get people serving others.

If anyone wants to do a Dish & Serve post (follow link to see an example) please let me know. You know you want to!