Who wants to improve their neighborhood and the well-being of our youth? We all do. We desire safer, more well-connected neighborhoods; and we know that safe, well-connected neighborhoods will enhance the well-being of our families and our children. But how can we accomplish this? At least one person offered an idea that I believe holds a great deal of merit and possibility—let children and youth do age-appropriate jobs around the neighborhood. (Read more in When Kids Work the Neighborhood, Everyone Benefits.)

Remember the days when youth would comb the neighborhood with lawn mowers or rakes offering to do yard work? Or walk the neighborhood with a shovel in the winter to clear a driveway? When children engage in tasks like these, we witness many possible positive outcomes. Perhaps the most obvious outcome: children and youth make some extra cash, setting the stage for them to learn how to manage money. More importantly, however, children grow more confident. They learn how to talk to adults and negotiate a “deal.” They develop a sense of ownership in the neighborhood and so care for it more deeply. They develop relationships with other adults in the neighborhood, developing networks that offer supervision, mutual caring, and mutual respect.

Adults in the neighborhood also reap benefits from children doing tasks in the neighborhood. For one, they must face any negative stereotypes they hold about youth and, through experience, begin to develop greater hope and trust in our youth. They learn to enjoy interacting with the youth. They share wisdom with the neighborhood youth and accept wisdom from the youth in areas of youth expertise (such as technology). All in all, youth and adults both learn to watch out for the good of the other, caring for the other and sharing in the development of a better community—a safer, more well-connected community and a community promoting the well-being of our children.

A lot of opportunities exist for children to complete jobs in the community. For instance, depending on their age, youth can:

• Mow lawns
• Landscape—weeding, hedge trimming, raking leaves
• Snow removal
• Babysit
• Run a lemonade stands or similar stand
• Walk dogs
• Care for pets while their owner is on vacation
• Paint

The list of opportunities is limited only by a youth’s imagination and a neighborhood’s need. Of course, as a parent you may want to accompany them for the initial visits. But the possibility of growing more confident and independent children who have a stronger connection to the people in their community is well worth it. It’s a great investment in the safety and connection within our communities that will benefit our children, and our neighborhood, for generations to come.