Today was my last day with this particular group of second graders.  One of the girls, Lauren, came running up to me as I was setting up the day’s activity.  “I got a job!”  she announced.  But the gleam in her eyes really said it all.  Apparently, after last week’s lesson on special talents and skills, she went home and talked to her parents about doing some jobs around the house for extra money.  She got hired to take down and bring back in (!) the garbage can once a week.  And she would earn $2 each time she did it.

Very cool!  I asked her what she planned on doing with her money.  “I’m going to take the money to the swim meets on the weekend and buy something for my brother and me.” 

I hadn’t even finished relishing the news of one of my students getting her first job when Seth came over and said that he was “going to use my notebook and a calculator so I can see how many weeks it will take for me to by the Lego Indiana Jones video game.”

And then, one of the moms, after class, told me that her son Matthew was now thinking about the idea of saving some of his money.  Apparently he used to have holes in his pockets.

These stories are perfect examples that, given the opportunity, kids can and do learn to deal with money issues.   Parents often think that seven year olds are still too young to begin learning some of this stuff.  Holy Moley.  Now’s the best time.  Let’s get ’em when they’re young and really have an impact on their future financial lives.  And besides, not having to take down the garbage can each week is so worth two dollars.