Weighing the Options

This fall, Brandon and I took the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University course through our church. It was a great learning experience and we'd highly encourage anyone who's interested in achieving financial peace to consider taking it at some point.

Part of what Dave taught us about was the importance of teaching your children how to handle money. One of the ways he suggested we could do this was by paying your children for doing chores around the house...thus instilling the value that in order to make money, one must work for it. We decided to pick a few household chores and attach a monetary value to them. We made charts for both of the kiddos and frequently give them the option to make some money. They can refuse if they wish.

Most of the time, Connor is eager to do the chores to make money. He does dishes, helps with laundry, empties the trash, and cleans up around the house (some woman is going to be VERY happy one day!). Brandon sits down and "pays" the children every Sunday. Connor eagerly awaits payday every week, and sets aside some money for savings, some to give to church, and some to spend.

Our little man attended his first skating party this weekend and he LOVED it!! He did really well coasting around the rink. After this experience, he decided that he wanted to use his money to buy roller skates. Some online research showed us that skates would cost $18.00. He has $9.00, and you could tell that waiting another two weeks to buy something was going to pain him a great deal.

Dave Ramsey also mentioned the concept of "matching" a child's savings, much like a traditional IRA through a company. Brandon and I talked and thought that we'd offer Connor a match for his money...if he would agree to brush his teeth without whining for ONE FULL WEEK (this is a constant battle at our house and we have been brainstorming for quite some time about how to nip his whining about teeth brushing in the bud). We presented the idea to Connor.

He thought about it. And thought some more.

Then he said..."I think I'd like to just keep saving my money and buy my skates myself".

Some things just aren't worth giving up the right to stomp your feet and complain about the small injustices of life....and apparently teeth-brushing is one of those small injustices in our son's eyes.

Guess the battles will continue on. Whoever came up with the brilliant idea that kids should brush their teeth TWICE a day?

Dang it.