I haven't read any other replies yet but remembered the thread and had to come and post before i forgot.

* if your child is playing with a toy, and other toys are available, would you encourage your child to let the other kid play with the toy? or should the other child leave yours alone, and find something else themself? does it depend on whose house you are at?
I encourage my girls to share toys, if they have just picked it up and start playing with it and someone tries to take it i tell them to keep playing but offer it to the other kids shortly. IF they have been playing with it for some time then i encourage them to let the other child play and pick up another toy.
I don't allow them to snatch and where possible i explain they should wait until someone is finished to use something.

* if your colleague forgets their lunch, would you offer to share yours? or offer to loan them some money?
I have in the past done both, i've also offered to buy a kinder acquantance coffee & cake when we went out after a meeting as everyone else was having some..

* if a friend is in financial difficulty, so you offer help? what kind of help?
This depends on the friend, i have a friend who is constantly using others and not gaining any life experience from her mistakes and always falling abck on others, i learnt NOT to offer her monitary help but MORAL help. Other friends i don't mind lending money, buying some groceries or paying a bill (if i have the $$ myself)
If i can't afford it i've offered to make meals or babysit before

* what about family?
Same as above really, depends on who & why

* how well would you need to know someone on bellybelly for you to be willing to offer assistance?
I have offered assistance to people i have not met, i sent old baby clothes to a BB member and offered moral support, it's about being a community - it doesn't mean i would send them thousands of $$ etc but even a friendly ear is good enough at times.

* do you give to people begging? buy the big issue? donate to charities?
For causes close to my heart yes but i wish i could give more, there are times i feel horrible pushing my trolley full of groceries and saying NO to someone asking for help but i'm not always in a position to spare the money or time.

* if you see a complete stranger in trouble (falling over on the street, fainting on the train, throwing up at the shops, whatever) do you help? do you call for help but not intervene personally?
Depends on the situation, someone falling over or fainting i would assist, if they looked drunk or violent then i would generally call security or a shop assistant as i have 2 kids with me basically at all times and will not risk them.
There was an accident on our intersection, i was late for a birthday party but no-one else had stopped, i put the kids in the driveway (sleeping in the car) got out and checked everyone, called a tow truck, sat with the lady til her mum arrived, got them all water, swept the road and moved her car. i didn't have to - they were fine and not in danger but i don't know why people would leave that until someone was able to be comforted etc.

* do you share/help out when you know it's not likely to be reciprocated (whether a repeat offender friend/relative, or someone you know isn't in a position to help out in return)?
With most friends or even some strangers then YES friends who do cry poor but buy alcohol or go to the pokies with the $$ no

* how personal does your sharing get? do/would you donate blood? plasma? bone marrow? a kidney? breastmilk? eggs? would you be a surrogate for someone? with these things, would you do it for an immediate family member? friend? acquaintence? stranger? I want to donate blood but keep forgetting to do it, i want to be an organ donor - if a family member or close friend needed bone marrow etc then i would see if i could help. - these thinsg would be for people i was quite close too. If i knew they would agree and DP wouldn't be all weird i would off to be a surragote for my cousin & his wife.

* do you give away goods that you would be happy to keep, because you think someone else needs/would appreciate them more?
If i had a spare fridge and someone needed it then yes i would, DP and i have been looking at a cheap ru around car for if we need to take a kid each or i need to go somewhere wihout the kids but can't take the ute, we offered to buy that and let his dad have it until we really need it.

* what do you expect of others? do those expectations change based on anything (wealth, time available, upbringing, etc?)
A helping hand in any way possible, it doesn't have to be money but just the offer of knowing they might prepare a meal, might help if i'm stuck on the side of the road - i don't care whether they are family, friends, rich or poo.. just knowing there is someon that cares enough to offer.

* how do you decide when to offer advice etc, and when to keep your thoughts to yourself?

* when you share in different ways, do you do it because you feel you should, or because you enjoy it, or because you think we all should, or other reasons?

* do you find sharing and generosity hard to talk about in general?

* what do you think the main influences on your views about all this to be? upbringing? spiritual beliefs and value system? your partner's views? what you want for your children?