Your 5-year-old has been inquiring about homeless people. Should you take the child to volunteer at a shelter? Five is an ideal age to introduce the value of serving others, says Homa Sabet Tavangar, author of "Growing Up Global: Raising Children to Be at Home in the World." And a homeless shelter is an ideal environment.

"They know they cherish their own home," Tavangar says. "Teaching them that they can get involved and help those who don't have that privilege can instill a lifelong ethic and a lifelong practice."

Some points to remember:

Call ahead. Make sure the shelter allows young children to help and ask what they need most. Clothing dropoff? Food preparation? Sorting donations? "You want to fill the need, rather than impose what you think they might need," Tavangar says.

Look for a family shelter. "Your 5-year-old could end up just playing with the kids who are there, which is one way to feel more united and connected," Tavangar says. "You're humanizing people who are in a shelter and showing that they get up each day and they are resilient and they cope."

Let your child share. "It might be nice to go through your toys and put aside some nice toys to take and play with and then leave there" -- provided your child won't be heartbroken about the separation.

Keep safety first. Make sure you and your child volunteer at a place where you feel safe. Your child will pick up on your anxiety otherwise.

Stay positive. "Talk about universal values -- gratitude, kindness, love, hopefulness," Tavangar says. "This is our privilege to help because when someone has hardship, people help."

Of course, any act of service can have a positive impact. So if volunteering at a shelter is daunting, start smaller.

"Even taking your child with you to drop off a donation can be meaningful," Tavangar says. "Seeing you make the phone call and hearing that you want to help -- the act of preparing and being engaged can be a powerful demonstration."

CHICAGO TRIBUNE