Nathan and Ryan received their back-to-school budget. \u00a0But first they had to submit a list of the things they were planning on buying. \u00a0Their budget, $325 each, is meant for all their clothing needs for the new school year. \u00a0Shoes included.<\/p>\n
Ryan received his money in cash. \u00a0He was so excited to have that much money in cash, he took a picture of it with his phone. \u00a0Wait til he sees how much $325 really buys.<\/p>\n
Nathan got his money in the form of a check. \u00a0He is the proud owner of a brand new checking account with debit card. \u00a0So he needs the practice depositing checks and keeping track of his expenses. \u00a0 Until now, Nathan has spent his entire life dealing with cash. \u00a0I am confident that he understands the abstractness of “plastic money”.<\/p>\n
At 14 and 16, the boys are old enough to shop on their own now. \u00a0They’ve learned how to comparison shop, wait for sales, and shop certain stores. \u00a0In fact, Ryan mentioned yesterday that there was no way he was going to shop at the mall because the prices would be too high.<\/p>\n
Giving them the freedom to make their own choices shows them that I trust them to make good decisions. \u00a0They’ve made enough poor choices in the past to be experienced in this area. \u00a0And they love the responsibility that comes with this independence; it makes them feel grown up.<\/p>\n
So now that I’ve looked over their list to make sure that they’ve included things like socks, it’s up to them. \u00a0They don’t have to spend all the money before school starts. \u00a0I told them that waiting to buy a new pair of jeans until the fall may save them some money. \u00a0It’s amazing how much teenagers can grow in just a few months. \u00a0And if they end up with money left over, it’s theirs.<\/p>\n