Thanks & Giving: All Year Long by Marlo Thomas and Friends.


"Include your children when you're talking about giving to charity. Bringing kids into the discussion shows them that we're all in this together."
‑‑Donald Trump

Keep three piggy banks in your room instead of just one. Then divide your money (whether it's your allowance, or a gift, or a reward for a chore you've done) this way:
• Piggy Bank #1: for spending on something to buy today (a CD?)
• Piggy Bank #2: for saving up for something expensive you really want (a bike?)
• Piggy Bank #3: for giving to help something you care about (the rain forest?)

"My father didn't have that much money, but he was a generous person. He taught me that if you don't have money, you can always give time."
‑‑Ted Turner

Turn your favorite hobby into an act of giving.
• Do you enjoy riding your bike? Then volunteer to deliver groceries to someone in your neighborhood who is housebound.
• Do you like working outdoors? Why not help an elderly neighbor weed her garden?
• Are you a born performer? Put on a show in your backyard to raise money for an after-school program.

"I believe that children who have a lot should think about kids who don't have as much. Children learn by watching their parents. We can teach them how to be generous."
‑‑Barry Diller

Next time Mom and Dad say to you, "What would you like for your birthday?" ask them if one present could be a contribution to a place where you can help make a difference. For example:
• An animal shelter
• The local science museum
• A place you think of

"Ask your children to make a pile of all the stuff they no longer use. Tell them how much it all cost and what new things they could buy with that amount of money. This will help them begin to understand the real value of a dollar."
‑‑Suze Orman

"Children should learn that there's more to life than ‑- you'll excuse the business term ‑- the bottom line. I was raised to believe that for everything you're given, there's always something to give back."
‑‑Sumner Redstone

Whenever you see something that makes you sad, don't get blue ‑- get busy.
• If you feel bad about people who are homeless, find out where the nearest shelter is and volunteer.
• If you know a child who uses a wheelchair, offer to help that child find easy ways to get to places he or she would like to go.
• If you've outgrown some of your favorite stuff ‑- clothing, toys, books ‑- find a place in your neighborhood that collects things for kids who can use it.

"Teaching a child to learn to give is like teaching someone a song ‑- you have to sing it for them first. We need to set the example. And if we're lucky, our kids will bring beautiful music into the world."
‑‑David Geffen

Whenever you see someone give time or money to help others, join in.
• If Mom is donating money to a cause, ask her whom it's for and how the money will help. Learn all about it.
• If Dad is lending his time to a local soup kitchen, tag along and tie on an apron. (Kids are allowed!)
• Log on to the internet. You're only a point-and-click away from finding out how to help a group whose work means something really special to you.

"Stay away from credit cards. If I had borrowed money at 18 percent when I was young, I'd be in the poorhouse now."
‑‑Warren E. Buffett

Excerpted from Thanks & Giving: All Year Long by Marlo Thomas and Friends. Copyright © 2004 by Thanks & Giving, LLC.