Dollars and pets
Rodent Ranch. That’s one of the names we contemplated for our collection of pets when our two daughters were young. If it had twitchy whiskers, grasping claws and an insatiable appetite for electrical cords, it lived with us at some point in the girls’ first 16 years.
More than a few of the menagerie arrived as gifts during the holidays. If your family decides to adopt a new pet this season, it can offer your kids the perfect training ground to learn about budgeting and financial responsibilities.
Critter costs
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Lunchroom economics
It’s no secret that obesity is a growing problem in North America and those most afflicted are pre-teens and teenagers. According to a University of Michigan Study, kids who eat school lunches were nearly 39% more likely to be overweight compared with 25% of youngsters who bring lunch from home.
You can counter this growing trend and teach your children about financial choices by introducing them to lunchroom economics.
Not keeping up with the Joneses
We love our kids and in these times of high achievement, we want them to have every possible opportunity. But opportunity costs and Canadian families today are being financially squeezed as never before.
Aside from the “money in” versus “money out” issue, the pressure to “keep up with the Joneses” can also be a vexing problem for parents. Kids want to keep up. They want to be like their friends or those they admire. And guess what? Parents often feel the same thing.
Charity begins at home – for the holidays
The most memorable holiday seasons for my family have all revolved around charitable giving. My daughters usually can’t recall what presents they received in the past, but they both remember in vivid detail what we did for people whose names we will never know.
Over the years we’ve given out Christmas boxes to low-income families, sewed and stuffed stockings for a women’s shelter and gathered clothing for the homeless.
How to avoid back to school financial pressures
Back-to-school delights! Freshly sharpened pencils, pristine notebooks, felts in a rainbow array, protractor sets with all the pieces intact and, if you are particularly lucky, a new backpack with lots of pockets to stash things. At least that’s what my kids looked forward to come September all through their school years.
My youngest graduated just six years ago but the story is very different today.
Lessons in saving from rural India
Canadian parents can learn a great deal about how to encourage their children to save from research conducted in rural India.
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The language of money
“I’m going to tickle your tum, tum, tummy! Look at those piggly wigglies – this little piggy went to market!” Parents and kids love to use nicknames for body parts and bodily functions. It’s how we blend teaching, talking and having fun with our children. My grandmother borrowed from cockney rhyming slang and called my head a loaf of bread, and referred to stairs as apples and pears.
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