National Son and Daughter Day
If you haven’t heard of National Son and Daughter Day, you are not alone. The day is of murky origin, though there is an apocryphal story about its founding involving a child in Missouri in 1936 who was heard asking why there was a Mother’s Day and a Father’s Day but no day for kids. And while it is “officially” celebrated on August 11, it never quite caught on (perhaps because if you have kids in your life, most days revolve around them). Regardless, today we invite you to lean in and celebrate young people and your role in their lives.
If you have a child or children in your life – they might live in your house, or maybe they are the child of a family member or friend, or maybe you have a mentor relationship with them – spend time together today. Cook together, eat together, play together, read together, or just sit together and share stories. Whatever you do, let them take the lead, especially if they’re small: kids don’t always get to make a lot of choices, and giving them choices is a great way to learn more about who they are.
If the kid in your life isn’t near enough to see in person, make an extra effort to connect today. Send them a text or make a video call and let them know you’re thinking about them.
And if you don’t have any kids in your life, consider changing that! There are so many kids out there who could use a caring adult like you in their life. Our Missions Team collects donations for the Wesley Golden Gate Center, but did you know that you can volunteer there in person as well? They provide activities and academic support to kids ages 6 and older, and if you’d like to serve there in person, just fill out their Volunteer Form. You can also become a mentor through Big Brothers Big Sisters. Sign up on the BBBSAZ website and they’ll match you up with a “Little” who you can meet up with a few times a month for fun activities, homework help, or chatting during their lunch break at school. And if you’d prefer to help the kids in our own church, you can sign up to work in our Sunday School classroom!
We hope Son and Daughter Day inspires you to connect with the kids in your life – or to make a new connection with a young person who needs you. As Mr. Rogers once said, “Anyone who does anything to help a child in his life is a hero.“ So go forth and be a hero, and then let us know how it goes! Share your Son and Daughter Day experiences with us in person or on Facebook or Instagram.
