One of the best ways to make a point with kids is to give them real-life examples of things other kids do that underscores your message. So, once again, I find myself using my own kids as pawns. I hang out with them a lot and, as a result, I end up with a bunch of stories perfect for use in my money classes. Here’s one I use when I talk with kids about unwise things to do with our…
Ryan walked in from the garage yesterday with four loosely bundled newspapers up to his chin, plopped them on the counter and started flipping through them. “Left-overs?” I said. He had just gotten back from delivering papers from his once-weekly paper route. “Yeah, and these have great coupons in them!” I love it when kids act like good consumers. It’s a learned skill; kids don’t usually automatically scour the paper for coupons. But when they are responsible for buying their own stuff…well…
Ryan’s geometry book has been sitting on top of the dryer for about two weeks. I finally got tired of looking at it and asked him about it this morning. “Oh yeah, that’s our book,” he said. I was a little confused. I don’t remember buying a geometry book. “They wouldn’t take it back because the edges are all frayed since it’s been in my backpack.” Apparently the book is the first in a two part series and when the…
I just got back from my lunch meeting with the student council at one of the school’s where I teach money management. They are helping put together Kidnexions’ first Kids’-Only Yard Sale. I’ve been salivating to do one ever since Keshelle from Camp Millionaire Bahamas emailed me about the one she was doing. What a totally cool idea! So here’s how it works. At least, this is what I’ve got so far. We’ll be “renting” out spaces in the school…
Last semester Ryan took a Home Economics class. His middle school offers a variety of elective classes so I was a little surprised that he decided on home ec. “It’s the food,” he explained when I asked about his decision. And that makes sense; what growing teenage boy doesn’t think of food all the time. But eating isn’t all they did in class. There was a whole unit on sewing. Ryan made a really cool gym bag which he…