Listen up. My son Finn starts Kindergarten in one week and as excited as I am for the world of school to enter all of our lives I nearly passed out as I took a gander at the school supply list.
Geez.
Schools nowadays are really hurting because when I was a kiddo in the elementary period of life we had to bring PENCILS... and that was about it.
I know my parents bought me new crayons and a trapper keeper and such, but they really didn't have to. Things are so different now. I had a 50.00 list of items to bring. I even have to buy hand sanitizer and Ziplock bags for the classroom.
Geez.
So I started to think about how the school shopping adventure was going to go down. I wasn't sure what kind of kid Finnian was going to be as there are two kinds:
The kid who is seduced and titillated by the back to school isle at Target and screams and holds hands towards the dizzying array of gorgeous trinkets lined ever so pleasingly
OR
The kid who really doesn't get too jazzed about that kind of stuff and is instead focused on the fact that he is certain this is the store where Power Rangers hang from shelving.
Lucky for me he is a Power Ranger freak.
But still- I wanted him to know what all of these items cost.
We are very luck as Grandma was kind this year and bought 90% of his back to school needs,
but I made the whole experience some sort of learning for him.
I took the Target newspaper ad and book they sent and circled items and talked to him about how much these items cost. I tried to break it down to his level.
Dude. These crayons and this pack of markers cost the same as Power Ranger Fury Red guy.
OK?
He totally got it because he was saving for like forever (um- three weeks) for that one.
Dude. These left handed scissors and this here art smock cost the same as Spiderman figurines.
OK?
Yes- he started to understand.
I wanted him to realize that these things costs money and we need to be thankful to grandma and responsible with them as I am not Mama Moneybags as of late.
Do you know how long it has been since I stepped into Church? I mean, Nordstrom?!
Seriously. Taking care of personal belongings is something that we must teach our children and if we are able to attach meaning and start the dialogue of money and responsibility at a young age I think we will benefit.
I was a spoiled only child and it hurt me in the long run.
Honestly. I did not have a good framework and it was a major learning curve for me.
I don't want my children to have to deal with that.
Check out This site for some ideas on how to talk to kids about budgeting and finances.
PBN will also have some cool tips and tricks!
