The children always have an endless want of things. When we go into the store it is a constant battering of 'can I have', 'may I get', 'I need', 'I want', etc. Little Man gets mad every time I tell him no. Egee wants an allowance. So, I decided to give them an allowance for the month. My children have everything they could possibly need and more! My parents have completely spoiled them and the toys runneth over in the house!
The monthly allowance isn't much. A ten dollar bill is enough to take care of any little want, yet bigger wants must be saved. When Little Man has money, it burns a hole in his pocket. I explained to them that the ten dollars covers all wants for the month (candy, quarters for the trinket machine, ect.) Mom is no longer the bank of free money.
The ten dollar test came upon us at the Thrift Barn. There is a toy area and Little Man found a useless piece of junk. He came up with it and wanted to buy it. I told him that was fine, it comes out of your ten dollars. He looked at me in puzzlement. He then looked at the toy and decided he did not need it. Back to the shelf it went. He found cleats. He needed them and once again I told him it was his money to spend. He put them back. He pondered over the cleats. He really wanted the cleats. As I stood in line to check out, he ran to get the cleats. I asked him did they fit. He tried them on and they didn't feel right. He put them back.
Everything he sees at the store costs more than his ten dollars. He becomes dissapointed that he cannot buy what he wants. I am happy he is starting to see the value of money. He wants to know when he will get another ten dollars. I told him in a month. He wanted to know days. I told him and he is now counting the days for his next pay day.
During our camping trip, he decided he had to have a little plastic gun that shot discs. He forfeited three dollars. He didn't seem to mind and declared he know has seven dollars.
Egee is more stingy with her money and has great plans to save up for something of value. I'm not to worried about her. It is Little Man that must learn the value of the all mighty dollar and that it doesn't just grow in my wallet.
