How Do You Teach Children Charity?

Last week, wrote about and asked us if we were ready to file our taxes.

The reminder benefitted me tremendously as well as many readers of this column who expressed appreciation for Coach Carrie's tips on how to simplify what is often a complicated process. 

Other commenters offered their own suggestions, which we were grateful to receive. Here's what some of them offered:

Ack! Over the years I somehow ended up being responsible for three sets of taxes each year. (And I'm no accountant or tax preparer.) Although I have employed several of the useful tips in your article, thinking about doing taxes still makes me hyperventilate a little!
My biggest tip is: Turbo Tax!

For me a cluttered desk is a cluttered mind. My incentive to stay organized is to buy decorative file folders. That way at least my desk looks pretty.

Well you can always use tools for maintaining records. There are many tools which are freely available in the market which can do a fantastic job. Check out CollateBox http://www.collatebox.com/ . This tool won't be perfect but I guess for maintaining and updating database or records online this would be ideal.

This is definitely a case of an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! Put a little bit of effort in consistently over each week or month, makes year end so much easier. Thank you for your great tips and strategies for a section of life that usually causes anxiety or stress for most.

Great tips! We use quicken to just keep track of our daily receipts then come tax time it is easy to print out and get to our tax accountant.

This week, Moms Talk asks “How do you teach children charity?" It builds on my experience as the founding member of the nonprofit Los Gatos-based women's charity group or Doves.

Last Friday at the group held its third fundraising luncheon to benefit local charities. It was hosted by Liza Karmardian Carter and Caterina Vasil Peterson.

Chef Marty Cattaneo of Dio Deka featured his amazing cuisine of Greek-inspired delicacies along with lamb chops, a beautiful vegetarian dish and literally the BEST potatoes I have ever eaten (I could have eaten dozens!). The wine selection was perfectly matched and the day couldn't have been lovelier.

The highlighted charity for the luncheon was InnVision the Way Home, The Georgia Travis Center. Having just recently moved back to the area, I'm not as well versed as I would like to be on our local charitable organizations.

When we started Las Palomas in Arizona with a group of girlfriends who wanted to get together more often while giving back to the community, we never anticipated how successful it would come to be and how desperately needed this organization was.

Our new chapter in Silicon Valley is proving to be just the same. It always astounds me, even after 10 years, how much passion exists within women who stand together, side by side, day after day to make the world a better place.

I admire them so much for teaching charity and friendship through example. It's true that actions speak louder than words and that's what I've found with my children who are now beginning to emulate giving back and helping others who are less fortunate than we are.

From the women who organized this lunch, to the women who attended, to the woman who let us into her heart, enlightening us with her story of defeat and then regained success, I was truly honored to be in their company.  

Thank you to all of the women who teach charity day after day to their children and those around them through their actions. Thank you also to all the sister friends out there who have helped launch our efforts of raising money and awareness for our local community. Please continue to inspire others to join us in this mission. Our next event is April 2 and all are invited and hope to see you there!