Over dinner the other night, I asked the boys what the school policy was about going to the bathroom. I had read a media story about some teachers giving out passes and students having to hand one over each time they needed to go to the bathroom. I had never come across this kind…
Category Archives: Teachable Moments
What Does Your Child Have To Pay For With An Allowance?
A Growing Rich Kids reader asked a great question recently. She was unsure what kids should be expected to pay for with their allowance and what should still remain a parental responsibility. As always, there are a lot of ways to approach this. I have to say it took a few years – and…
Should You Dock Your Kid’s Allowance As A Punishment?
I love seeing how other families set up allowances for their kids so am always on the lookout for parents sharing their experiences. Bob Helbig at the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel, caught my attention recently with the approach he’s taking with his two daughters. They have a chores-based allowance so they get paid for doing…
Who’s The “Chore Trainer” In Your House?
The boys and I are very lucky to have Z in our lives. I tend to follow my Mom’s example when it comes to chores around the house. I lean towards doing things myself as it’s faster than getting the kids to do them. But every time I pick up an abandoned shoe or books…
Confession Time: I Gave My Son a Video Game for Snowboarding Practice. Was I Wrong?
“Daddy and I have an offer to make to you. If you can make three consecutive linked turns on your snowboard this weekend, we’ll buy you a video game, up to a $50 value.” I’d never expected to hear these words coming out of my mouth and from the way T’s eyes lit up, he…
How Making Kids Do Chores Makes Them Rich, Possibly
One of the things I like to do is take out the latest personal finance books from the library. Each visit, I head straight to the new books non-fiction section and check out the Dewey classification number used for personal finance books: 332. I can’t tell if it’s sad or impressive that I know this…
Mom, I Know What The “C” Word Is
We were doing the bedtime tooth brushing routine last night and M suddenly hit me with this zinger of a statement. “Mom, I know what the “C” word is.” I immediately adopted that wary, walking-in-a-minefield attitude that all parents have when faced with adult-content topics. “What’s the “C” word?” I asked as calmly as possible….
The Secret Money Lessons You Are Giving Your Kids
Mornings can be a bit of a challenge. M is a slow eater so breakfast takes him twice as long as his brother. He does cartwheels and handstands for a few minutes before heading off to dress. He chatters and acts out in front of the bathroom mirror rather than brushing his teeth. He’s immersed…
Spinning The Wheel on The Game of Life
“Mom, how much does someone working in Starbucks earn?” whispered M the other day. We were having a rare Mommy and M afternoon while T was at a birthday party and Z worked on the garden. We’d stopped at Starbucks for a treat before heading to the library. “About $8 per hour but they have…
The Weekly Round-Up: The “I Hate The Claw” Edition
Sigh. It’s going to be a long road teaching our kids about money. We were in the grocery store on Friday afternoon and the boys are always drawn like magnets to the claw grabber vending machine. I really hate this thing and see it as a total waste of money. The boys were begging for…
