Now that makes Cents!

My kids are constantly asking me to get them this and they want that and can you buy me this, too, mommy?  It's endless and it's annoying.

So, yesterday, I decided to give them a lesson in money.  

We pulled out their piggy banks and lined up the coins in $1 piles.  Then we divided the piles into three separate groups.  One group was for savings, one was for spending and one was for donating.

As soon as I so much as mentioned donating, Big was crying.  "I don't want to donate money!!!"  I think if you mentioned it to him today, he'd start bawling on the spot...so don't mention it, k? :)

Then I brought them to the computer (cuz there was no chance I was going to drive them to the bank at the end of a busy day) and I showed them how I transferred money into their savings account.  Yeah, that was a weak lesson but whatever.  I can only do so much :)

And then we went online to buy books.  You know those scholastic flyers that they want every book on the planet from every month?  Well, that's what started the whole thing, so that's where the whole thing ended....

Big went first.  He decided to buy about 5 books.  But, he quickly realized there wasn't enough money left in his spending pile after the 3rd book.  So he had to decide which one's were important to him.  I also tried to explain to him that the Harry Potter book was $10 and that he'd have to save some of his money if he was ever going to be able to afford that one.  He ended up buying 2 books...a Lego Ninjago one that I'm sure we'll read a couple hundred times and a star wars sticker book which I personally think is a waste of money...good thing it's not my choice :)

Small went next.  He wanted both strawberry shortcake books and a couple of fairy books.  There was not anywhere close to the right amount of money in his spending pot.  So he was fine with the one strawberry shortcake book.

At this point, I thought I was doing a pretty decent job parenting...donating debauchle included.

But then Big came in and asked Small to buy him a book.  The avengers book that I was trying to avoid getting in the first place.  And what did Small say?  "Ok!  Me buy it for you, <Big>"  

Ugh!  Now what??  How can you teach one kid to not take advantage of the other without teaching the other one not to do nice things for his brother??

Dr. Phil!  Where are you when I need you??

So, I pulled the ol' "If he does something nice for you, then you should do something nice for him" card. Big agreed to buy Small a book in exchange for him buying the Avengers book.  He tried to buy Small a few of the books that he'd like but in the end, he decided on a Dora book that I'm sure Small will want to read every night.

Overall, I think they may have maybe kinda sorta learned something?  I think I'll be subtly hiding those scholastic flyers for the next few months, though!

Now, if only I could get Big to decide on a place to donate his money!  He's not into the SPCA, the food bank or Kidsport.  Any ideas? 

He did ask me at dinner last night if I spend money for him to play lacrosse and why other kids parents can't pay for their kids to play sports.  So maybe something's sinking in???