As adults, most of us have been in a position to give back to our community or to a friend in need at one point, and know how enriching it feels to contribute to the greater good. But how many of our children have had that opportunity?

A couple of weeks ago, one of my 6-year-old son Liam's classmates lost his home and everything he owned in a fire. When I came home and told Liam about it, he had lots of questions. I answered them as best I could, and then asked him what he thought we could do to help.

Liam rushed into his room and started packing up toys, including one of his prized possessions, his castle. He selected castle guys that he thought his classmate would enjoy. Then we went through his clothes and found everything that was either redundant or a little small and packed that up, too.

In the end, we had a huge box of things to give. A day later, as I was dropping him off at school, Liam came over to me and whispered, "Mom, look, he's wearing one of my shirts!"

He was so proud, and so was I.

Luckily, house fires don't happen every day. So how do we pass the spirit of philanthropy on to our children on a day-to-day basis? The holiday season offers a perfect opportunity to think about those who might need our help and kick off a new emphasis on year-long giving for the entire family.

Start out by explaining to your child why you believe it is important to help others. Children will understand the significance of giving better if it is explained to them rather than requiring them to just go through the motions.

The Share The Spirit program in Homer is a great way to inspire the art of giving in your children, as are the area Thanksgiving food basket drives. The donations themselves don't have to be big, but making it personal is important.

Let your children pick out a toy at the toy store for a less fortunate child or ask them to donate one of their own. When purchasing food to donate, ask the children to pick out food they think the family in need would enjoy. If your children get an allowance, teach them about the local charities and encourage them to donate a portion of their allowance to the charity of their choice.

Another way to encourage this wonderfully enriching experience of contributing to your community's well-being is by volunteering your time with your kids. A couple of years ago, a volunteer for the Homer Public Library Book Sale brought his then-5-year-old twins to help him. You would not believe how hard these children worked lugging boxes of books through the library. And the pride they felt in truly being able to help was evident all over their faces.

Look for opportunities to include your children in volunteer efforts. With a little planning, it can work out wonderfully.

Perhaps the biggest lesson for children to learn about giving is that it isn't the size of the gift that's important, but the way you make giving a part of your every-day life. Maybe that means always buying an item for the food pantry when you shop, and letting your child be the one who drops it off.

Or it could mean fitting volunteer time into your schedule. Organizations like the Homer Animal Shelter offer great opportunities for children to feel useful and helpful. Be creative, and you will find ways to pass on your values to your children, no matter what your budget or your time constraints. It's one of those gifts that will truly keep on giving.

Homer resident Carey James is the mother of two, a Homer Volunteer Fire Department firefighter, freelance graphic designer and coordinator of Friends of the Homer Library. This once-a-month column is coordinated by the Homer Foundation. For more information about the foundation, go to its Web site at www.homerfund.org.