It's never too early to begin to introduce your children to charity, as we learned from Carol Weisman's visit last month. Here's how you can begin to set your toddler on the road to becoming a grateful giver:

1. You can introduce children to the concepts of charity and volunteering as young as three years old.
2. There are many places that allow young children to volunteer with a parent, like zoos and children's museums. Just make sure the activity meets both your and the child's comfort level.
3. You can also introduce young children to donating. Holidays and special events, like Christmas, Hanukkah and especially Birthdays, when the child gets something also, are good times to do this.
4. When children are young, don't make them give their own money, gifts or personal belongings, such as an old toy, to charity. Children shouldn't associate giving with sacrifice at this young age - the experience should always be a joyful one.
5. On special occasions, give children $5 or $10 - separate from any gift - to donate to the charity of their own choosing.
6. Help children choose what charity might matter to them by having the "Joy/Saddness" talk. Ask what made them truly happy or really sad in the past year, and work from there.
7. Once children choose a charity, call ahead to ask for the development director, so they can give the money to him or her directly. You should also ask the director if your children could get a tour too, while the director explains what the organization does.

From Raising Charitable Children by Carol Weisman.

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