So this is how it starts. 5 flavors,1 carbonating canister, 3 bottles and 117 dollars. It’s the creation of Ryan’s first business venture. Ryan’s paper route has earned him a lot more than just his $41 paycheck each month. It’s taught him life lessons that only having a job can do. Being accountable to a “boss” that’s not your mom, giving customers that extra special service, pounding the pavement for new subscriptions, planning ahead, being prepared, and the latest one…clipping…
Nathan got his driver’s license two weeks ago. He thinks he’s a free man but what he doesn’t realize it that it’s me who’s really free. Not free from the worry when he’s out there on the road. Just from the many trips back and forth from all his many activities. But it made me think about his first set of wheels. Nathan had all the little trikes kids usually get as they’re learning the ways of the road….
Lauren got a raise. I was walking on campus of one of the school’s where I teach when she came running up to me just as excited as the time she told me about getting her first job. Lauren is in second grade. After doing a lesson on ways for kids to make extra money, she came to class the following week with a job to take the garbage bin down to the curb and bring it back up. She…
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…