5 Tips To Teach Your Kids About Money
By Scott And Bethany Palmer The Money Couple. Posted on .
There is so much to teach your children. For starters, say "please" and "thank you," wash your hands, respect your elders, chew with your mouth closed. Meanwhile, advertisers spend millions trying to teach our kids to "spend more!"
It's true. Our children see more than 25,000 ads a year on television screens alone. Fortunately, even with all of those advertising dollars being spent trying to teach your kids that they need more, these five tips can combat those messages:
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1. Separate wants from needs. Don't assume your child can readily see the difference between what they want and what they need. Sit down with your son or daughter and create two lists. Make one list for necessary items such as clothes, shoes, lunch, school supplies and medicine, and another list for items they want, like jewelry, trendy fashions, games and electronics. Readily see the difference between what they want and what they need. Compare the lists and talk through the differences. Point out the fact that you can't go to school without shoes, but you can go without an iPad.
2. Say "no" and mean it. Kids figure out at a very young age whether mom or dad changes their mind if they whine enough. Often, they learn if they keep begging, you will give in. Next time you find yourself exhausted and ready to hand over cash for the remote-control hamster, stop. Say "no" and stick with it. Your children don't need to be at the controls of that hamster or your family's money matters.
3. Practice patience. Teach your child the value of delayed gratification. In a time where everyone wants things faster and easier, patience can be a difficult lesson but it's one that will serve our children well for their entire lifetimes. Create a "save-for" list at home where they can write down a few things they're saving for or waiting to get, and stick it on their bedroom wall. Patience takes planning.
4. Earn it. If they are certain they "must have" that certain something, help them earn the money to buy it. Putting in some effort to acquire something makes the purchasemore satisfying. They could create a progress chart for their room so they can watch their incremental labors move them closer to their goal.
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You may even find that if they pay for something themselves, they take better care of it and appreciate it far more than if it was handed to them. There are even times if their effort over time is required, their desire for the "latest and greatest" mysteriously evaporates. Keep reading ...
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