Valentine’s Day, February 14th, is a fun day for both young and old! [more...] Acts of Kindness http://www.moneywizdom.com/acts-of-kindness/]]>

Money Moments are short and actionable ideas for simple money training. They’re fun and fit into everyday things you are already doing with your kids.
	Acts of Kindness February 14, 2011 Valentine’s Day, February 14th, is a fun day for both young and old! More than just a day for romantic couples, it can be a day to celebrate friendship and kindness, and to show our appreciation for all who are dear to our hearts. Because young kids are concrete thinkers, it can be hard for them to understand an abstract concept like kindness that can’t be represented by a physical object. However, by noticing when people around them give to others, offer their help, or take actions that make others feel comforted and loved, your kids can learn that "You are kind" means so much more than three words inscribed on a Valentine’s candy heart. When To Do Valentine’s Day, or any quiet afternoon What To Do Here are four kindness activities you can try with your kids this Valentine’s Day — or any other time during the year! Card Kindness What would Valentine’s Day be without pretty cards? Help your kids make cards of Kindness for those they appreciate in their lives. Help them identify ways in which their friends or family members have been kind. If they have trouble coming up with examples, give them some hints. (Hint for parents: take a little time in advance to recall some of these acts of kindness, so you’re ready to jog your kids’ memories!) Once they have some ideas, help them make cards thanking these special people for the various acts of kindness. Help them decorate with red paper, doilies, and stickers, or glue on candy hearts. You can suggest they also describe the kind act in writing — people love knowing that their kindness was noticed and remembered.   Special Gift Kindness As your own budget allows, give your kids a special gift budget to buy small Gifts of Kindness for a few of the kind people in their lives. Help your kids pick out items that mean something special to each of the people they have chosen. Suggest they remember gifts that they themselves have particularly enjoyed and treasured, and think about why they feel that way. If they have money left over, suggest they treat themselves to a Gift of Kindness — or save the money for something more special later!   I Spied Kindness Box Decorate an empty box with fun heartfelt images. Close it and cut a slot in the top. For a one-month period, ask you kids to be on the lookout for acts of kindness. Have them describe each kindness on a sheet of paper (the youngest kids may need your help with this), and drop it into the I Spied Kindness box. At the end of the month, open the box and spend time reading aloud all the acts of kindness. Give your kids a Gift of Kindness for all their hard work of noticing when people do kind things to others.   Kindness Jar Have your kids decorate a Kindness Jar to fill with spare change that your family will collect for a month. (Kids will love to watch the jar fill up day by day.) At the end of the month, help your kids sort the coins into coin roll wrappers and decide where they would like to donate the money. Take them to the chosen charity and let them hand over the contents of the Kindness Jar. What You Will Need Colored paper, doilies, stickers Candy hearts Jar Box (a shoe box or candy box is a good size) Scissors Tape, glue Talk About It Was it hard for your kids to find people who were kind? How many people do they know who are kind? Did they find it fun to do the activity you chose? Do they think they are kind? Are you? Are their siblings? Why or why not? Note: There is a rating embedded within this post, please visit this post to rate it.
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]]> http://www.moneywizdom.com/acts-of-kindness/feed/ 0 http://www.moneywizdom.com/filling-a-bucket/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=filling-a-bucket http://www.moneywizdom.com/filling-a-bucket/#comments Mon, 25 Oct 2010 12:35:22 +0000 admin http://www.moneywizdom.com/?p=1815

Gratitude is something that we can practice pretty easily in our daily lives. [more...] Filling a bucket http://www.moneywizdom.com/filling-a-bucket/]]>

Money Moments are short and actionable ideas for simple money training. They’re fun and fit into everyday things you are already doing with your kids.
	Filling a Bucket October 25, 2010 Gratitude is something that we can practice pretty easily in our daily lives. And on the odd grumpy day when you can’t think of at least one thing to be grateful for, consider this: There is plenty of research showing that people who practice gratitude feel considerably happier than those who don’t. They feel more joyful, enthusiastic, interested, determined, and strong – and they are also more likely to be both kind and helpful to others. Looking for ways to have a big impact with your kids for a small amount of work? Read on! When To Do It Each night at the dinner table What To Do Pose two simple questions to your kids; then go around the table and hear from each family member: Did you help anyone today? Did anyone help you today?   Try reading from various books to get your kids thinking about ways they could help others. Some possibilities: Because You’re Lucky by Irene Smalls Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are? By Dr. Seuss Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed by Emily Pearson   Simple questions have the potential to change your kids’ outlook and interest in giving to others. They can: Help your family celebrate the little things people do for all of you. Help you and your kids reflect on the day in a positive way. Open your kids’ eyes to ways they could be helpful. What You’ll Need Remembering to ask at dinner Books Talk About It Is it hard to remember to help someone every day? Are there kinds of help you particularly appreciate? Are there certain kinds of help you especially like giving? What is your favorite story of helping others? After answering the questions for a few evenings, did you notice more things that you feel grateful for? Note: There is a rating embedded within this post, please visit this post to rate it.
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Neighborhoods will soon be filled with little trick-or-treaters: Transformers, princesses, vampires, and honeybees. [more...] Halloween Costume Budget http://www.moneywizdom.com/halloween-costume-budget/]]>

Money Moments are short and actionable ideas for simple money training. They’re fun and fit into everyday things you are already doing with your kids.
	Halloween Costume Budget October 10, 2010 Neighborhoods will soon be filled with little trick-or-treaters: Transformers, princesses, vampires, and honeybees. Halloween was once a low-budget holiday. Families used to prepare treats such as popcorn balls and caramel apples, create costumes out of old bed sheets, and make their own decorations. That was then. With the average person spending close to $66 on Halloween supplies — costumes, candy, and decorations — the holiday can get expensive. As your Halloween outlays creep closer to what you spend on Christmas and Valentine’s Day, why not get your kids more involved by giving them responsibility for part of this year’s Halloween budget? Let them meet the challenge to keep costs down and help you stay on budget — and perhaps teach them some smart shopping strategies. When To Do It On a weekend day What To Do Your Halloween budget may include costumes, candy, decorations, and some fun ghoulish activities. We suggest that this year you start by giving your kids budget responsibility for choosing just their costumes. Later, you give them the cash, so they aren’t financially responsible. Costumes It can cost $15-$25 or more for many popular kid’s costumes at Halloween or party stores. This budget item alone can add up quickly if you have more than one kid to dress-up. Start by giving your kids a dollar limit for their Halloween costumes. Create a simple worksheet for them to research pricing for buying a new costume or getting parts to finish one they have some parts for already. The worksheet can include four columns:   Store Name $ Price Do We Have A Coupon? Total Cost 1.         2.         3.               One place to quickly gather pricing information (and maybe find an item) are the online Halloween stores. Here are a few links: www.halloweenexpress.com www.buycostumes.com www.spirithalloween.com For some kids, it will be important for them to see and touch the costume to decide if they want it. You can plan a small fact-finding trip to a local costume shop to gather pricing information first hand. Challenge your kids to consider making their costumes and help them calculate costs for any items they would need to buy beyond what can be found at home. Consider visiting a local thrift store to do a materials and price check for missing costume items. Ask your kids to consider if they have any friends that they might be able to exchange costumes from last year? Once the pricing information has been gathered and decisions have been made, provide the needed cash and take them shopping! Remember to congratulate them on a job well done. Bonus Costume Challenge: Consider giving your kids an incentive to find or make a costume that costs less than their budget number. You can offer to match the amount they have left over to spend as they like. If their budget spending came in $5 under their planned total, you can give them $5 for spending as they wish. What You’ll Need Paper and pencil for pricing worksheet Computer and Internet access to research costumes pricing or find coupons Time to visit stores, thrift shops to find pricing information Talk About It Ask your kids how it felt to be responsible for the costume budget this year. Was it hard or easy to stay within the amount they were given? Would they do things differently next time? Would they like to more responsibility next year? Note: There is a rating embedded within this post, please visit this post to rate it.
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Chances are you’re now in the thick of back-to-school preparations. And we [more...] The Adventure: Part II http://www.moneywizdom.com/the-adventure-part-ii/]]>

Money Moments are short and actionable ideas for simple money training. They’re fun and fit into everyday things you are already doing with your kids.
	The Adventure: Part II August 15, 2010 Chances are you’re now in the thick of back-to-school preparations. And we know it’s pretty hard to miss the advertisements for back-to-school specials filling the airways. Who wouldn’t be tempted? And who wouldn’t end up buying more than they’ve got on their list? We suspect that your kids have been exposed to those ads, too – and they’ve let you know all the things they simply must have. It’s the perfect time to work with your kids on our second Adventure: looking critically at clothing ads. When To Do Weekend day when there is some quiet time. What To Do The second part of our Adventures will help your kids look more critically at clothing advertising promises. Help your kids select one clothing item from their back-to-school shopping list. Find two or three ads for that item in a magazine or newspaper. Ideally, find similar products being advertised by different companies. Create a simple worksheet for them to fill out when reviewing the ads. Questions to Review Ad #1 Ad #2 Ad #3  What company is advertising?        Who is the ad talking to? What makes you think this?        What does the ad say about the item?        Does the ad make you want to get the item? Why?        What does the ad say about the people who buy this item?        Which ad does the best job of making you want the item? Why?       Bonus Project Have your kids make up their own ad to see whether they can convince you to buy them the item. They can use their own ideas about what features or benefits to portray in the ad. What You Will Need Magazines/newspapers Pen/pencil/drawing markers Patience Talk About It What did your kids think of this Adventure? Was it hard to find the truth in the advertisements they looked at? Did they find it hard to make an ad that would convince you to buy them the item? Did they try to make the ad truthful, or did they make outrageous claims? Note: There is a rating embedded within this post, please visit this post to rate it.
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]]> http://www.moneywizdom.com/the-adventure-part-ii/feed/ 0 http://www.moneywizdom.com/first-clean-out-those-closets/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=first-clean-out-those-closets http://www.moneywizdom.com/first-clean-out-those-closets/#comments Fri, 06 Aug 2010 11:26:03 +0000 admin http://www.moneywizdom.com/?p=1715

Ah, the sounds and smells of summer! Little League, hot dogs, [more...] First, Clean Out Those Closets http://www.moneywizdom.com/first-clean-out-those-closets/]]>

Money Moments are short and actionable ideas for simple money training. They’re fun and fit into everyday things you are already doing with your kids.
	First, Clean Out Those Closets August 06, 2010 Ah, the sounds and smells of summer! Little League, hot dogs, swimming pools, and lemonade stands … and then, it’s back to school? Yep. Though summer’s in full swing, it’s time to think about what you will need this year for your kids’ back-to-school clothing and school supplies. Before you read through a single back-to-school sales flyer, be sure of two things: what you need, and what you already have on hand. We encourage you to get your kids involved in the first phase of the back-to-school (BTS) frenzy by hosting your family’s first BTS closet and drawer archeology dig. When To Do Saturday or Sunday, soon What To Do Know What’s on the List? The Needs! Often local discount and office supply stores have handy checklist kiosks for the neighboring schools; your schools’ websites are another good source for supply lists. Download or grab each kid’s checklists as your starting point for this year’s BTS shopping list. Assemble a clothing list for each of your kids and share it with them so they understand what is needed this year.   Know What You Already Have.   Clothes Help your kids do an inventory of their closets. Figure out what still fits and what doesn’t, what needs to be repaired or could be handed down. Maybe that fall skirt just needs a new button or the loose pocket repaired. There’s no need to spring for a brand-new backpack if last year’s is still in good shape. Help your kids check off the clothing items you decide are keepers. Pack/bag up the still-usable but outgrown stuff that some other kids could put to good use. School Supplies Help your kids do an inventory of the household drawers, filing cabinets, and garage storage areas for school supplies. Many items – like pencils, pens, notebooks, and scissors – may have been bought on long-ago shopping trips and can be found stashed under things or in an overlooked drawer. Keep track of what your kids find by checking off items on your supply list. Consider giving your kids a point for each item they find on the list. Total up the points at the end and hand out a small reward to each for a job well done. Bonus: Have your kids calculate how much they helped save with the clothing and supply items they found. Be Charitable. If you have outgrown clothes to give away, donate them to a local nonprofit so your kids learn to give to others in need. Bring your kids along to drop off the clothes and talk about the people who will receive what you give. What You Will Need List of school supplies Paper and pencils or pens Bags for clothing donations Calculator Talk About It Did your kids find it hard to give up their clothes? Or were they reluctant to keep and reuse any of those old familiar items from last year? Did they have fun unearthing hidden treasures in drawers around the house? Were they surprised at how much they helped the family save? Note: There is a rating embedded within this post, please visit this post to rate it.
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]]> http://www.moneywizdom.com/first-clean-out-those-closets/feed/ 0 http://www.moneywizdom.com/map-the-coins/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=map-the-coins http://www.moneywizdom.com/map-the-coins/#comments Sat, 31 Jul 2010 12:02:06 +0000 admin http://www.moneywizdom.com/?p=1696

Kids are naturally interested in money – because we are, of course! And [more...] Map the Coins http://www.moneywizdom.com/map-the-coins/]]>

Money Moments are short and actionable ideas for simple money training. They’re fun and fit into everyday things you are already doing with your kids.
	Map the Coins July 31, 2010 Kids are naturally interested in money – because we are, of course! And money is a great vehicle for all kinds of exploration, both concrete and conceptual: Does a quarter stick to a refrigerator magnet? (No.) Is it worth the very high price to build hotels on Boardwalk and Park Place in our favorite Monopoly board game? (Yes.) Should I pass up the chocolate-flavored lip balm to save for a pet rock? (Maybe.) The choices, as we know, can go on forever. Coin collecting is a fun way to cultivate interest in history and geography as well as math and thrift. Since the states began issuing their own commemorative quarters, getting change at the supermarket or fast-food joint can be turned into a fascinating and suspenseful metallic scavenger hunt. When To Do Over a one-month period, each time you go shopping What To Do To prepare, if you’re used to paying for purchases with a debit or credit card or check, plan to either stock up on cash at the ATM or get cash back at the supermarket so you can make more cash purchases when you’re out with the kids – and get change back. Go to usmint.gov for information about collector’s maps and basic information about the state coin program. Get a map of the United States you can post on the refrigerator or other gathering place in your home for all to see. As you make cash purchases, let your kids go through all the change for state quarters. Have the kids keep track of their progress by coloring in the states as they find the quarters; they can keep their growing collection in a special container. Talk with your kids about the special features each state chose to appear on its quarter. Set aside all of the remaining change (duplicate state quarters, as well as dimes, nickels, and pennies) in a jar as a stash of cash for celebrating at the end of the month. Your kids may want to also spend the collected set of state quarters, or they may want to hang onto that hard-won collection. See what your kids do to try to get all of the state quarters within the month: Will they go to a bank to ask for help? Will they ask their friends to trade coins? Will they trade with their siblings, grandparents, and other relatives? When you get to the end of the month, use the jar of coins to treat your kids to something special. Have them count the coins to see how many of each kind they collected in the month. If they still need more quarters to complete the set, keep gathering change to hunt through. Bonus Play: If your kids take a close look at their nickels, they will find some special designs among them, too. See if they can collect them all. What You Will Need Time to shop Map of the United States that can be colored in Pencils and crayons Jars or containers for coins Patience Talk About It When you reach the end of the month, ask your kids what they liked about collecting the quarters. Was it hard to find them all? What was their favorite technique for locating hard-to-find quarters? Did they learn anything new about the 50 states? Would they like to collect other coins? Note: There is a rating embedded within this post, please visit this post to rate it.
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]]> http://www.moneywizdom.com/map-the-coins/feed/ 0 http://www.moneywizdom.com/wish-list/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wish-list http://www.moneywizdom.com/wish-list/#comments Fri, 11 Jun 2010 03:45:40 +0000 admin http://www.moneywizdom.com/?p=1685

Have you ever dreamt of owning a really fast car – or taking a [more...] Wish List http://www.moneywizdom.com/wish-list/]]>

Money Moments are short and actionable ideas for simple money training. They’re fun and fit into everyday things you are already doing with your kids.
	Wish List June 11, 2010 Have you ever dreamt of owning a really fast car – or taking a month-long vacation – or buying season tickets to the ballet? As adults, we have savings goals that often require some pretty big sums of money to fulfill our wishes. We have learned to save to buy a home, maybe start our own business, or be ready for a long retirement. It turns out that those who are successful in meeting financial goals are really good at saving money. And we’re willing to bet these folks got into the habit of saving money early on. Like, when they were kids! So where do you begin with your kids? Unless they were born with frugal genes, they probably prefer spending money to saving it. Now, there’s nothing inherently wrong with wanting material things. Having a goal serves as incentive for achieving it. So let your kids dream of things they want, as long as they understand that it’s up to them to make it happen. When To Do Some evening after homework is done What To Do Your kids can learn to become more determined savers by having their own savings goals. The key is to set and reach short-term goals so your kids develop the savings habit. Compile a wish list – aka a set of savings goals – with a second column for costs. The wish list is just another way of writing down financial goals on paper. Help your kids write a list of the things they want, today. Tip: include some small, inexpensive items for early successes (see step 2). Help your kids rank their items in order of importance, from high to low. Help them come up with a ballpark cost for each item and write it in the cost column next to the item. Post the wish list on the fridge or some other very visible spot, so you and your kids stay focused on the goals. Chart a course to make those wishes come true – help your kids map out a plan to save up the money. Start with the least expensive goal on the list, because it will take the shortest amount of time to reach – ideally, just one or two weeks. Early success is key to starting the savings habit. If your kids get an allowance, determine how much of it you will let them use toward their savings goal – this will set the length of time to reach the goal. Optional: offer to match their savings to help shorten the time it takes to reach a goal. If your kids do not get an allowance, consider giving them a small amount of money each week, earmarked for helping them practice saving and reaching their goal. They need money in some form to practice building the saving habit. Have your kids track their progress on the wish list each week until they reach the goal. Once they reach the goal, take them shopping to get their wished-for item. And celebrate the accomplishment of reaching the goal! Set the next goal, and continue to support your kids as they reach more and more short-term savings goals. When you get home from buying the first item, or soon afterward, take out the list again and select the next goal to begin saving for. You know your kids best, so keep the length of savings time appropriate for their ability and patience. One- or two-week goals for a five-year-old may be just fine. This may be the right level for your kid for an entire year. Be patient; the rewards will outweigh any of the small frustrations of the early habit-setting period. What You Will Need Paper/pencil Magazines for ideas Calculator Patience Talk About It Did your kids find it easy to come up with things they wanted? Did they find it hard to wait until they had enough money to go shopping for their coveted item? Did they think of other ways they could get more money, like doing extra work to help out around the house? Note: There is a rating embedded within this post, please visit this post to rate it.
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]]> http://www.moneywizdom.com/wish-list/feed/ 0 http://www.moneywizdom.com/look-who%e2%80%99s-cooking/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=look-who%25e2%2580%2599s-cooking http://www.moneywizdom.com/look-who%e2%80%99s-cooking/#comments Thu, 27 May 2010 10:33:09 +0000 admin http://www.moneywizdom.com/?p=1671

We know that these days it’s hard for busy parents even to take [more...] Look Who’s Cooking! http://www.moneywizdom.com/look-who%e2%80%99s-cooking/]]>

Money Moments are short and actionable ideas for simple money training. They’re fun and fit into everyday things you are already doing with your kids.
	Look Who’s Cooking! May 27, 2010 We know that these days it’s hard for busy parents even to take time out to make three square meals a day for their kids, let alone find the time to teach them basic cooking skills and techniques. And we know that including the kids in cooking meals requires time, patience, and some extra cleanup, especially when they are younger. But many experts – ours included! – think you’ll find it well worth the effort. Some key benefits of spending time together in this way: It can encourage your kids to try healthy foods. Your kids know they are accomplishing something and contributing to the family. You get to spend quality time with your kids. It’s time that your kids aren’t spending in front of the TV or computer. And our favorite: you can involve your kids in meal planning, budgeting, and shopping for the food, so they learn about costs, ingredients, sales, coupons, and so on. Read on, and soon you’ll be ready to take on a fun meal planning and cooking night with your kids! When To Do Weekend day when you have time to enjoy the full experience What To Do Host a cooking show together. Decide with your kids on a menu or a dish to prepare. Some ideas: Pizza and salad Tacos and salsa Mac and cheese Grilled cheese sandwiches Work together to write the shopping list and locate any available coupons. Give your kids a budget to cover the costs of the needed foods. (Tip: Be sure to check the pantry to see whether you already have any of the needed items.) Take the kids shopping for the food, and if they prove to be prudent and savvy shoppers and have money left over, let them keep it! Assemble all the ingredients for the dish in advance in small bowls. Help your kids follow the recipe/your instructions to complete the chosen menu/dish. Enjoy the finished product(s)! If you can: Dress your chef assistants in aprons and chef hats! You can make chef hats out of paper plates, napkins and sheets of paper. Cut a circular hole in a paper plate to fit over each of your little ones heads. Then add the cylinder piece by attaching a sheet of paper (legal size or big drawing paper) to the paper plate. Finally top the cylinder with a napkin to make the poufy top. Come up with a name for your family cooking show. Encourage your young sous chef to talk to the camera (imaginary or real) as you prepare the meal together. If you do choose to record the “show” do replay it for friends and family. What You Will Need Recipes or cookbooks Ingredients Paper and pencil to make shopping list Coupons Bowls, aprons, hats, cooking utensils Napkins and paper plates for making chef hats, optional Camera or video camera, optional Talk About It What was your kids’ favorite thing about the cooking show? Did they find it hard to make the food? What was the easiest part? Did they find it hard to stay on budget while shopping for the food items? Did they succeed in making a good meal or dish? Note: There is a rating embedded within this post, please visit this post to rate it.
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]]> http://www.moneywizdom.com/look-who%e2%80%99s-cooking/feed/ 0 http://www.moneywizdom.com/the-ad-venture-part-1/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-ad-venture-part-1 http://www.moneywizdom.com/the-ad-venture-part-1/#comments Sat, 22 May 2010 19:54:38 +0000 admin http://www.moneywizdom.com/?p=1660

Everywhere we look, we see advertisements—in magazines and newspapers, on TV and [more...] The Ad-venture: Part 1 http://www.moneywizdom.com/the-ad-venture-part-1/]]>

Money Moments are short and actionable ideas for simple money training. They’re fun and fit into everyday things you are already doing with your kids.
	The Ad-venture: Part 1 May 11, 2010 Everywhere we look, we see advertisements—in magazines and newspapers, on TV and the Web, on buses and bus stops, cars, buildings, and scoreboards, even in your kids’ elementary school. Do your kids have the critical thinking skills to understand ads, what they’re saying, and what they want kids to do? In our view, you can never spend too much time working with your kids to help them understand what is real and what is not in advertising messages. With millions of ad messages thrown at your kids in a given year, you’ll want to spend some time together at least every month or so to build up their ad smarts. We are starting this adventure with a deeper look at food advertising – a subject near and dear to most kids’ hearts! When To Do Saturday, or any time when you have recently shopped for food What To Do First your kids will take a good hard look at an actual ad for a brand-name food; then they will create their own ad. Help your kids select one of their favorite brand-name prepared foods and find an ad for it in a magazine or newspaper. (Tip: locate the ad first, then make sure you have some of the food around to sample for the exercise.) Create a simple worksheet for them to fill out when reviewing the ad and sampling the food. Food Feature: What the Ad Says: What I Think How does it taste? ___________________ ___________________ Is it good for you? ___________________ ___________________ How long will it last? ___________________ ___________________ Why is it the best? ___________________ ___________________ Is it good for me? ___________________ ___________________ Is it natural? ___________________ ___________________ Talk together about your kids’ findings. On which features do they agree with the ad? On which features is the truth different from the sales pitch? Why do they think advertisers would say anything that’s not true? Bonus Project Have your kids choose another one of their favorite foods and make their own ad, using the following list of common food selling points to guide them. (Note: this could be a packaged food or something completely natural – like fruits, nuts, or veggies.) Of course, they can use their own ideas about what features or benefits to portray in the ad. Smell Sensations (crunch, color, cute shapes) Size Natural or organic Healthy Low fat No trans fats Low sodium What You Will Need Food items Magazines or newspapers Pen, pencil, drawing markers Patience Talk About It What did your kids think of the ad-venture exercise? Was it hard to find the truth in the advertisements they looked at? Did they find it hard or fun to make their own ad for a favorite food? Is this something they’d like to do again – say, while watching TV? Note: There is a rating embedded within this post, please visit this post to rate it.
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Parents tell us that it is not always easy to engage their kids [more...] Follow The Money http://www.moneywizdom.com/follow-the-money/]]>

Money Moments are short and actionable ideas for simple money training. They’re fun and fit into everyday things you are already doing with your kids.
	Follow the Money May 11, 2010 Parents tell us that it is not always easy to engage their kids in conversations about money. Sometimes they just forget to explain a money decision while out on a shopping trip. Either they don’t have time to explain, or they just don’t want to engage their kids in a particular money decision because they feel it would be too hard. There’s an alternative and very effective way to engage your kids in money conversations, one that feels more neutral and less weighted with family baggage: reading books together. You can choose a comfortable time for reading, when things are quiet and your kids are paying attention. Reading together often leads to more in-depth discussion and exploration of money topics. One of our favorite books for fun, engaging money conversation starters for young readers (age 4 through 8) is Follow the Money by Loreen Leedy. The book follows a day in the life of a quarter, starting from being stamped out at the U.S. Mint and making a full circle – being spent, lost, donated, and many other adventures – all the way back to the bank the quarter started out in after it was minted. When To Do Bedtime reading, Saturday or Sunday quiet time What To Do Follow the Money offers lots of money starter topics for you and your kids. You can choose one subject as a jumping-off point or read the book from cover to cover. We recommend that you read it through once, and then revisit the book when you have a new need to explain a particular money topic, or if you encounter a real-life lesson to be learned that could be supported by revisiting the book. Quick Synopsis The book creatively uses money to indicate page numbers, and walks young readers through these money basics: Which presidents are on the coins and bills How much money is in different rolls of coins Understanding coupons and sales How much you get back in change when you use different currency to pay different prices (addition and subtraction) Different ways you can use money You’ll recognize a few of the Money Wizdom budget basics: Planning to save up enough for a toy Spending money on treats for yourself (OK as long as you have the money set aside) Donating some of your money to those in need What You Will Need The book Follow the Money Time(s) to read all or parts Talk About It If you first read the book from start to finish, you can ask your kids to tell you what they learned. Have them share their favorite part of the book and why they liked it so much. You can also ask which was their least favorite part and why. Note: There is a rating embedded within this post, please visit this post to rate it.
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