checking in with parents every hour or always coming home by nightfall) and find community centers where kids can play with peers in a more supervised setting. Devices like the GizmoWatch 2 and AngelSense provide GPS tracking to give parents peace of mind while kids enjoy “free range” neighborhood play.
Grass Roots (ages 13–18) By the teen years, kids may be too involved in school and extracurricular pursuits to spend time on unstructured, run-around-the-neighborhood play. But there are many benefits for teens to foster community connections, including (but not limited to) increasing independence, social skills and earning power. For entrepreneurial teens, or any kids motivated by earning extra cash, a quick look around can help teens determine what type of business might flourish in their neighborhood—are there lawns in need of care? Exhausted parents who need a break from virtual learning? Professionals who travel and need pet or house-sitting? For philanthropic teens, or those who need to fulfill volunteer hours for school, they can take the same type of “inventory” of their neighborhood—or check with their local church or town council. Are there senior citizens who need assistance with running errands? Meal deliveries needed for homebound neighbors? Local food banks that need to be restocked? Handing out business cards or flyers around the neighborhood helps teens make face-to-face connections with people in their area. Meeting neighbors, helping people or earning money are immediate benefits, but learning about neighborhood needs and figuring out how to fill them is an exercise with long-term value. Malia Jacobson is a nationally published journalist. Find ideas on how to support people in your neighborhood by turning to page 22 and visiting at www.sandiegofamily.com/ things-to-do/donations-volunteers-andlocal-fundraisers. November 2020 • SanDiegofamily.com •
21
