Disclosure: My family attended WE Day Family in order to facilitate this post. As always, all opinions are my own and I only share honest reviews with my readers.
As a Mom, the greatest gift I can give my child is inspiration to lead a fulfilling, meaningful life…a life with purpose. Whether that purpose is community service, environmental stewardship, or simply raising awareness of the injustices going on in the world, it’s vital to show kids that thinking beyond ourselves is important. That is what the WE movement and #WeDayFamily is all about.
I’d heard about WE (formerly Free the Children) a few years ago and hoped that, one day, I’d get the chance to expose my kids to the inspiring stories and speakers at a WE Day event.
This year, it happened! My kids and I attended the first ever #WeDayFamily event, and left feeling utterly inspired! The purpose of WE Day Family to for families to come together around service… a way for families to connect and be empowered to make changes that will impact their communities.
“When families take action together, they can make a huge impact, both in their communities and in their own lives. Through the shared experience of volunteering, kids develop a deep sense of service and compassion. And when they have support at home, they can grow as leaders and go on to change the headlines on important issues.”
Some of my favourite quotes…
“When I was on the International Space Station, we orbited the earth 2,692 times… that’s once every 92 minutes! It made me realize something – no mater the unrest you might feel about hunger, wars, etc. we are all united. The world’s issues are OUR issues. It’s up to us to use our energy to make the world a better place. We need to look past the things that are different, and embrace what makes us the same – the striving for happiness and peace; family and caring for others.”
– Col. Chris Hadfield
“June Callwood tole me that changing the world is a marathon, not a sprint. That was such a profound piece of advice.”
– Craig Kielburger
From being touched by the stories of a blind Syrian refugee whose family made the dangerous trek to Canada in 2015 to escape oppression, to accounts of the many acts of volunteerism and anti-bullying activism right here at home, my kids emerged feeling empowered to change the world. In fact, it was tough convincing her to go to bed, because she had all kinds of ideas about how she can make a difference in the world, and needed to get them all on paper.
WE Day Family gave my kids a better perspective on the lives of those less fortunate, and highlighted the many ways we can each make a difference in the world. There isn’t only one way to do it; we can all change the world in our own special way, leaving it a better place for future generations.
My family won’t forget WE Day anytime soon. Each time we wear our ME to WE rafiki beads, or use the resources in our WE Family Kit, we’ll be inspired to take action to make our community – and our planet – a better place.
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