| |
| |
|
Parenting Information |
|
|
|
Parents/Teens and Money - 5 Ideas for Keeping the Peace
Children and teenagers are relentlessly bombarded with merchandise that entices. It can be difficult to find contentment when a newer, better, faster gizmo of the moment hits the market every day. What's a parent to do? First, try to put yourself in your child's shoes. The pressure to fit in and to belong is particularly strong for young people. Part of that belonging involves having the latest "it" item or article of clothing. It makes sense that you feel frustrated at times. Perhaps you've even reminded your teen that money does not grow on trees or that you are not an ATM. With a little patience, planning and compassion you can stop fighting with your teen about money. To start, set aside some time for a family meeting and bring some of the following options to the table (your teen may also have some ideas about how to balance saving and spending). Look for options that you are both comfortable with and willing to try. Involve your teen in family budgeting. It may be difficult to understand what the limits are if you have no idea of the fixed expenses and income for the household. Agree on spending limits. This method works well with expenses such as clothing. If you are shopping with your teen, establish non-negotiable spending limits well in advance of your trip. This will give your young person time to plan how best to use the allotted funds and cut down on frustration and wheedling later. Remember, the spending limit is non-negotiable - no whining or brooding allowed. It is also important to let your teen live with his or her spending decisions. If your child decides to buy two high cost designer items rather than ten more reasonably priced items you must give them the space to own the choice. Listen to your teen. There will be many times when you will have to deny a "must have" request. If you have not previously established a spending limit be sure to say no with compassion and offer to explore other alternatives for purchasing the item or doing without. If you have previously agreed on a spending limit try to honor the agreement unless you have new information or another compelling reason to change your mind. Again, it must be compelling - the idea is to help your teen develop the discipline for responsible money management (after all, you can't go to your boss if you spend all of your money before pay day!). Give a regular allowance - A weekly or monthly allowance helps your teen plan for both anticipated and unanticipated expenses. Some parents and financial experts have suggested the three-thirds plan: one-third of the allowance is earmarked for spending, one-third for short term savings (such as school clothes or the class trip, and one-third for long term savings (such as a car). If this is the plan that you and your teen agree to try allow your teen to be responsible for the money decisions he or she makes by refusing to rescue.Educate your child/children on the benefits of saving with a credit union. Find a local credit union at www.creditunionrate.com and open a savings account. Encourage alternative sources of income - your teen may want to start a small business or find a job. This can be a great way to make up the difference if money is misspent or if your teen is working toward a big dollar goal. Learning to manage money responsibly is an ongoing process; be patient with yourself and your teen. Revisit your goals and progress at least once each quarter and make adjustments as needed. Nicole Soltau
MORE RESOURCES:
Interaction of Parenting Experiences and Brain Structure in the ... - Archives of General Psychiatry
Parenting - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Ten Reasons to Tell your Kids Stories In today's busy world, many parents have lost theart of telling their stories to their kids. Here are ten reasons why these stories are so beneficial:1. Our Recommended Eating Program for ADHD Below is a copy of our eating program for Attention Deficit Disorder - ADD ADHD kids. It is not a very strict program, unless you are used to having most meals at your local fast food restaurant. Cloning; is it for you? What would it be like to have a clone? What would it be like to be a clone? If you end up cloning yourself you just might have the opportunity to find out what you might do in those shoes, but it takes about 16 years of times on the investment side until the new clone is viable enough and taught enough to perform up to your required ability to propel your goals.As a new founded and more powerful family you may decide you want many of these clones to help. Lets Read! The Benefits of Reading to Your Children Parents, when you help your children learn to read, you help them open the door to a big, exciting world. As a parent, you can begin an endless learning chain like this: You read to your children, they develop a love of stories and poems, they want to read on their own, they practice reading, and finally, they read for their own information or pleasure. Coping with the Stress of Moving Home and Childrens Concerns Moving house can be an emotional experience for adults, so imagine how much more unsettling it can be for children who don't really understand what's going on.There are many things to consider when relocating, none more important than the impact of moving on your children. The Secrets To Improving Childrens Behaviour Most parents at some stage are driven to distraction by one or more of their children's annoying habits or behaviours, whether it is a toddler who continually whines, a school-aged child who leaves clothes lying around or a teenager who uses a less than pleasant vocabulary.How to affect change is a challenge for many parents. Grandparents --- Homeschool Your Grandchildren and Feel Younger Grandparents, what better way to stay close to your grown children than to advise them about important issues like the dangers of public schools for your grandchildren? What better way to feel younger if you offer to help homeschool your grandchildren?When your children grow up and get careers of their own, that doesn't mean you have to be lonely in a big, empty house and lose contact with your kids. Helping to homeschool your grandchildren can be a wonderful way for you to stay in close and loving contact with your grown children and grandchildren. Visiting the Library Libraries offer more than books. They are places of learningand discovery for everyone. Parents of Toddlers and Pre-Schoolers: 7 Universal Laws 1. The Law of the BeastAs parents we need to keep in mind that we are raising our teenager while we raise our toddler. Guide to Choosing Plush Toys for Children Many people consider plush toys great for children. They say that plush is a soft material that children love very much and that plush toys are so adorable, that you can't resist them. Two Means Trouble You have two kids who are 14 months apart. How cute, they look alot alike. The Science of Mother Love A growing body of scientific evidence shows that the way babies are cared for by their mothers will determine not only their emotional development, but the biological development of the child's brain and central nervous system as well. The nature of love, and how the capacity to love develops, has become the subject of scientific study over the last decade. Finding Answers to Underachievement Finding answers to a child's underachievement is often a difficult and complex process. Let intuition be your guide, knowing when and how to ask the right questions. Want To Further Your Childrens Studies? Being in a competitive world, the lowest qualification to secure a good job is a degree. However, a degree subject may be perceived as too general and the acquisition of a specialist skill through professional courses or a post graduate program may help improve employment prospects. Homeschooling Takes Your Child Out of Public School --- A Unique Benefit Home-schooling removes children from public school. That alone makes home-schooling worthwhile. Resilient, Confident Kids - 10 Ways to Promote Resilience in Children Do your children have a McChildhood? Do they experience the type of childhood that may satisfy them in the short-term as their immediate needs are met, but in the long-term, leaves them ill-equipped to deal with some of the curve balls that are thrown their way?The emergence of indoor playgrounds is an example of the lengths we go to not only provide a sanitised life for kids but to ensure that they never get bored (or even get wet and cold when they play)!It helps sometimes to stand back and take stock of the type of childhood that we provide for our kids.Here are 10 elements of a childhood that promotes resilience in children and young people. Teach Your Kids to Cook Well, Eliminating Excessive Health Care Needs in the Future We are all aware of the child obesity epidemic that has not only attacked the United States, but internationally as well. To keep our children healthy and keep health care costs down, we must examine even the simplest angles to prevent this problem. Public Schools --- Why On Earth Do We Need Them? From the time the Mayflower landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620 until the 1850s, most parents taught their children to read at home or sent their children to small private or religious grammar schools. Education was voluntary and local governments did not force parents to send their children to state-controlled schools. Choosing a Daycare or Pre-School - Top Ten Safety Tips When it's time to put your child into a daycare or pre-school, there is some homework involved. Here are the top ten safety tips that are useful when looking for a pre-school or daycare center. Time To Connect With Your Teen While on a recent trip to the grocery store, I happened to hear a mother telling her teenage daughter not to answer her ringing cell phone. Of course, the daughter explained to her mother that "she just had to answer it" As the mother was in the middle of stating how she barely gets two minutes of her daughters time in a day, and her daughter answering the ever so "important" call anyways, all I could think was how much I could relate with this poor woman.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
