Teaching Kids the Value of a Dollar
February 9, 2007
I heard about this great book on Moms’ Buzz called Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees: Teaching Your Kids the Value of a Buck, by Ellie Kay. I’m planning to pick up a copy and thought you might want to as well.
My 4-year-old son is very interested in money and enjoys spending it! My 6-year-old daughter started getting a small allowance each week about two years ago. The purpose was to eliminate the constant buying of toys! Instead, we encouraged her to save up for toys she wanted and mom and dad basically just bought toys for holiday gifts and other special occasions such as birthdays. Managing an allowance is a good first step, but I’m sure there are many, many more financial lessons for our children.
With so many Americans in debt, it’s never too young to begin to teach our kids about money, spending and saving. If you decide to pick up a copy of the book, let us know what you think.
[via Moms' Buzz]
Why I Love Mom
February 1, 2007
A lot of these things circle around on the Internet, but I couldn’t resist passing this one along. It’s called, “Why I Love Mom” and here’s why:
Mom and Dad were watching TV when Mom said, “I’m tired, and it’s getting late. I think I’ll go to bed.”
She went to the kitchen to make sandwiches for the next day’s lunches. Rinsed out the popcorn bowls, took meat out of the freezer for supper the following evening, checked the cereal box levels, filled the sugar container, put spoons and bowls on the table and started the coffee pot for brewing the next morning.
She then put some wet clothes in the dryer, put a load of clothes into the washer, ironed a shirt and secured a loose button. She picked up the game pieces left on the table, put the phone back on the charger and put the telephone book into the drawer. She watered the plants, emptied a wastebasket and hung up a towel a dry. She yawned and stretched and headed for the bedroom.
She stopped by the desk and wrote a note to the teacher, counted out some cash for the field trip, and pulled a text book out from hiding under the chair. She signed a birthday card for a friend, addressed and stamped the envelope and wrote a quick note for the grocery store. She put both near her purse. Mom then washed her face with 3 in 1 cleanser, put on her night solution and age fighting moisturizer, brushed and flossed her teeth and filed her nails.
Dad called out, “I thought you were going to bed.”
I’m on my way,” she said.
She put some water into the dog’s dish and put the cat outside, then made sure the doors were locked and the patio light was on. She looked in on each of the kids and turned out their bedside lamps and TV’s, hung up a shirt, threw some dirty socks into the hamper, and had a brief conversation with the one up still doing homework.
In her own room, she set the alarm, laid out clothing for the next day, straightened up the shoe rack. She added three things to her six most important things to do list. She said her prayers, and visualized the accomplishment of her goals.
About that time, Dad turned off the TV and announced to no one in particular, “I’m going to bed.” And he did… without another thought.
SharpMoms, I know you can all relate!
Do Parents Recall what they Learned in 5th Grade?
January 26, 2007
Well, even if they do, it may not help because today kids are probably learning what we learned in fifth grade in the second grade!
I saw this post, “Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?” on Blogging Baby and had to pass it along to the SharpMoms. Fox television will be airing a show to test the nation’s fifth-grade knowledge. Adults will compete in a “quiz” based on questions from elementary school textbooks. The idea is to measure what you don’t know rather than your intelligence. Actual elementary school students will be on hand as “experts.”
Intriguing or insulting? I think I’ll have to watch an episode of this one before I decide.
[via Blogging Baby]
