Talk Is Cheap and Money Talks

It’s always been hard trying to teach my children about the value of money but now that we have less of it, it’s become essential.

The problem is when they don’t get to spend their own money, then they have no sense of the value of money. We’ve been talking to them about how we’re tightening our belts but talk is cheap and money talks.

So today when I sent my kids off to an amusement park at the beach, I entrusted them each with about $30 and then talked to them about how they should spend it: $15 for the amusement park, $6 for the aquarium, $2 for the beach and about $5 spending money.

Now I have to sit back and wait to see if they a. lose the money, b. spend it all on boardwalk games or c. come back with any change.

My kids get one dollar for allowance so $30 is a lot of money to them. Come to think of it, it’s getting so it’s a lot of money for me. Fortunately, they’ll be there with friends so I don’t have to worry about wether they’ll get home OK if they blow it all on those water guns to try and win a stuffed animal.

If they lose their money or blow their money on the boardwalk, that’s a lesson too (for both of us), although I suspect my friends will bail them out. Only time will tell whether this will be a cautionary tale for all of us. But I’m hoping it’s the beginning of a new era and that if you give kids responsibility, they’ll act responsible. (Gulp).

Photo from media.merchantcircle.com