How to teach a child how to handle money - children and money
No matter how parents try to take care of their child, but sooner or later he will have to go to an independent life. And the more knowledge, skills and abilities he has, the easier it will be to solve any problems, including monetary ones. Not all parents know how to teach a child how to handle money and how much they should have about him. Some even doubt: do we really need money for the child? Immediately answer: we need! Just do not be too early to burden him with large amounts, while demanding responsibility as an adult.
Why do some parents deny their children money for pocket money?
There may be several reasons for this:
- Lack of money from parents themselves.
- Adults are afraid that children will lose money, which, whatever they say, is given by labor.
- Parents do not want children to be free: pocket money will allow them to go to the other end of the city, go shopping, buy unnecessary trifles - all this seems to some dads and moms completely unnecessary.
- In this way - deprivation of cash - adults are trying to retain their power over the child: they will not deny him in the end any amount of anything or entertainment, but only when he asks for it!
Perhaps, it is possible to count valid only the first reason - here parents themselves without money, and children, of course, know about it. In other cases, the guys feel deprived - because their peers with "cash" are all right!
Some extremes necessarily spawn other
If a child never has money, guess what will he do with them if they suddenly appear? Most often he spends it immediately, wanting to taste the joy of buying or boasting to his comrades of his generosity. The second option: he protects them, because he is afraid that later he will remain with an empty wallet."What a fine fellow!" Some readers might think. Not at all good, because he will try to solve his problems for someone else's account with only one goal - to preserve his "capital".In addition to the above disadvantages, a person who is not used to dealing with money will necessarily have one more: it is very difficult for him to determine the price-quality ratio, and as a result, the majority of his purchases will be extremely unprofitable.
How much money to give to a child
Let's consider in more detail how to teach a child how to handle money and how to determine the amount necessary for him. Any teaching goes through practice, that is, it is necessary to constantly give the child the opportunity to settle with "his" money. About the amount to give an unambiguous answer is impossible - each family has its own "budget".To proceed, approximately, it is necessary from the following: in a purse a child should have money for transportation and for such trifles as a glass of juice, a roll, ice cream. It is clear that the older the children, the more they spend.
Money for one day or for several weeks
If you want to teach a child how to manage money correctly, then they should be given for several weeks, explaining that they should be spent with the expectation that the next amount will not be givenearlier, than in three-four weeks. This is a good workout exposure. And parents here need to exercise firmness: in no case should they replenish the "account" of their son or daughter, if the limit for a certain period is exhausted.
"Do not take money with you - you will lose or steal!"
To warn the child that money bills have value not for him alone and hunters for another's good always have, of course, it is necessary! However, at the same time, you need to teach him to somehow protect them: do not leave the bag with a purse unattended, come up with small secretories - because he will have to take with him some amounts not only to school, but also to training, on excursions, to the cinema, just for walks - everywhere there may be a need for something to pay off.
Piggy bank - the first experience of saving funds
You can talk a lot to the child about how good it is not to spend all the money right away. But the upbringing process will be more effective if you give it the opportunity to feel how great it is when there is some amount in the stock that is also growing, and eventually you can buy something quite expensive. Get an ordinary piggy bank - in six months or a year, count together with the child how much money was saved. We assure you: from the moment he feels the taste of "a large sum", money will not be wasted in vain - he will try to postpone every extra penny for the purchase of something very important for him.
At what age can a child make independent purchases?
The sooner, the better! Already in 4 years he can buy ice cream at a kiosk or pay for a ticket to the merry-go-round. We do not in any way encourage parents to leave their children alone in a park or park - adults, of course, should be there and monitor their child's actions. In a year, two parents can wait for the baby on the porch of the store - he himself will buy milk or bread. So gradually the children get used to the money, they begin to understand what you can buy for this or that amount. Over time, they will perfectly orient themselves in prices, and without fear they will be able to issue any amount - they will never waste them!