Looking for something fun to do as a FIREd person? Help out kids!

[waltworks]

Many of you on this subforum have kids, I know (and many don't) but I'm not sure how many of you are aware of how hard it is (nationally, basically) to hire:
-Day camp leaders/counselors
-Lifeguards/aquatics instructors
-Coaches and refs for all sports ranging from soccer to lacrosse to mountain biking

A lot of kids aren't going to be able to go swimming, or learn to ride a bike, or just be out of their parent's hair for a few hours this summer.

What's that, you say? You have time on your hands and enjoy spending time around kids? You have some basic skills in, well, almost anything? You'd like to get CPR/AED certified anyway and can pass a background check? Your own kids would enjoy doing these activities free of charge?

Well you, my friend, can have a fun time on a flexible schedule, maybe learn some new skills, and (if you care, which you probably don't, but hey) make $15-20 an hour too.

Local kids need you this summer, and I can attest as someone who spends a lot of time coaching all sorts of stuff - it's super fun and doesn't feel like work in any way (YMMV, of course).

-W

[Dicey]

Thats a damn fine PSA. I hope this post gets people to think about helping out.

[FIRE 20/20]

Great post, @waltworks !

In the top 5 best things I've done for my personal happiness in the 3 years I've been FIREd has been volunteering as a math tutor at the local library.  I actually started out of a feeling of obligation, that I was wasting my time by not "giving back".  I've gotten over that delusion, but stuck with the math tutoring because it's so rewarding.  One of the kids I worked with went from failing freshman math to an 93% final and an A- grade for the semester.  Another one is trying to catch up from a year of missing 6th grade math due to COVID and family stuff.  I think he'll probably be right on track to start 7th grade in the fall, assuming he sticks with it. 

I think everyone who has the skills to retire early has something they can help other people with.  For some it will be summer activities like the OP, and for others it'll be more indoor activities like I'm doing.  Either way it's hard to overstate how much more you can get out of these activities than you put in.