My husband and I feel it is right to help others whenever we can and to give of our time, talent and treasure. We believe our lives are richer when we share. We also believe teaching our children these values will help them learn how to appreciate what they have, focus less on selfishness and find greater fulfillment and purpose in all they do. When we teach our kids about giving, I think it is important to break down the ways in which we can contribute in society.

Giving treasure means just that, giving a portion of our income or giving some of our belongings away. Giving of our talent means teaching others our skills in order to help support and build self-esteem and self-reliance. Giving time seems to mean simply volunteering; but it is so much more. It means stopping to help someone, listening when someone needs to talk or calling around to help find a solution for someone else's problem.

Several years ago, when our oldest children were six and seven, we adopted a family-meeting style of selecting charities. Once or twice a year, when we decide to make donations, we explain to the kids how much money was earned and how much was set aside to be distributed to help others. Our kids understand better now that they practice the three-envelope method of money management: Some to save, some to charities and some to spend and enjoy. When our kids go to church they are expected to bring their own money as an offering.

Our children understand our values: We focus on organizations that provide for basic needs of children and families. The first few meetings the boys just listened, but recently they have become more proactive during selection and even make their own suggestions for causes to which we could donate.

I believe that teaching children to think of others gives them a sense of empowerment that they can make a difference in the world. Our local newspaper sometimes does a story on a local teenager who is working to help others in some special way and we discuss these or read the article to them at dinner.

When we go through the toys and clothes to donate we are careful to select items we know will be of value to someone else. Broken toys are thrown away. The kids are expected to donate toys that still have plenty of use left in them. My boys seems to have an easier time letting go of things if they know they will go to good use.

We also have been creative in the way we encourage giving. When the boys have a birthday and get too many gifts, they select only a portion of the ones they really would like to keep. The rest are given to a nearby child crisis center, where kids go after they have been removed from an abusive home before they are placed in foster care. The boys feel great about it. We even talked about throwing a birthday party for kids in the shelter!

Another favorite charitable program we have done for three years is the Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Gifts Program. This is perfect for even a preschooler to become involved in. In our family, each child got one shoebox and got to decide which age group to pack for and they helped me shop for the items and pack the boxes. They cut out the tag and enclosed a short note and picture. The boxes contained a few small toys and candies, but also socks and underwear, school supplies and toiletries. They learned that these boxes might be the only present these kids get all year so they want them to be loaded!

Also at Christmas my kids get to pick a tag off the Christmas Angel tree and we shop for someone else as well as for our family. We also sponsor a child in South America through church. Once or twice a year we get a progress letter and read
it to the kids.

There are lots of ways kids can make a difference to others, no matter how young. This year my sons will be joining my husband on a church building project. If your kids study dance, music or gymnastics you could organize a performance for a local senior citizen's group home. The younger the kids the better Little ones could ride along on a walk-a-thon in their stroller or use their scooter or skateboard to participate with you.

If you have a heart to do for others, don't leave your children out of the loop. There is so much they can do with your guidance and maybe someday your local newspaper will do a story on them!

Elaine D'Ippolito is a stay-at-home mother of three boys, and author of the Dry All Day Potty Training Skills Workbook available at her
website www.PottyWorks.com. The book is also available for fund raisers in MOP's groups, daycare centers and church groups.

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Credits: Elaine DIppolito