By Scott Brazda, The Stuller Family Foundation

My five-year-old son had turned entrepreneur.

“Autographs for a dollar! Get my autograph for just one dollar!”

On one hand, I was surprised; on another, I was proud; and on a third, uh, hand, I was on edge. What was my son doing, turning my charitable appearance for a local nonprofit into a chance to make a few bucks?

It was as if he had become Alex P. Keaton, the opportunistic character played by Michael J. Fox in the 1980s sitcom Family Ties. And, of course, because he is so charming and cute (no bias here whatsoever), someone immediately went up to him and handed him a dollar bill. N-I-C-K was written on a white legal pad—actually N-I on line one, then C-K on the line below—and thus, the transaction was completed.

“Look, Dad,” exclaimed my kindergartener, proudly holding up the fruits of his labor, “I MADE A DOLLAR!”

Time to burst the bubble, in my best ‘TV Dad’ impersonation. “You know, son,” I answered, very Ward Cleaver-like, “you should probably give that to Hearts of Hope (a local sexual abuse crisis center).”

“Aww, really?”

“It is why we’re here. And it is their event that even gave you this chance to sell your autograph. They do a lot of good, helping women and children who aren’t treated very nicely. Don’t you think it would be nice to help Hearts of Hope raise money?”

Silence. As in, no response.

“Don’t you think it would be nice to help Hearts of Hope raise some money?” I repeated.

“I guess,” Nick answered. “Do I have to give them all of it?”

“It would be the right thing to do, I think.”

And that was the only pushback I got from my son, who proceeded to run each and every dollar he made directly to the Hearts of Hope/Walk a Mile in Her Shoes sign-in table.

My son had become a philanthropist. And he got a taste of giving back by seeing his dad… give back. Leading by example; every so often, it’s almost like I know what I’m doing.

Although this is a very basic (and true) story, philanthropy in and of itself should be much like this. Set the tone. Lead by example. Plant the seeds of giving back. Philanthropy is not, nor should it be, ‘rocket science.’

Nick Brazda, age five, raised $39 Saturday morning by signing about 15 autographs. (Yes, a couple folks were extremely generous.) It’s my hope that by watching his dad and mom and sister in their various community-related activities, he is learning it’s good to give back. To volunteer. To care about others. And to think ‘community.’

Full disclosure: When he received a $20 bill, Nick did turn to me and ask, “Dad, can I keep THIS one?”

Sounds like there’s another philanthropic lesson headed his way. But we’re off to a good start, I think.

Scott Brazda is executive director of The Stuller Family Foundation. For 16 years, he served as a news and sports anchor at KATC-TV in Lafayette, LA, during which time he won seven Associated Press awards. Scott is a committee member for the United Way of Acadiana and Community Foundation of Acadiana, board member of the Louisiana Association of Nonprofit Organizations, and faculty member of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette communications department.