School teaches loans as a a way of life

[Tri Girl]

I'm thrilled that you're teaching your child that you can live without borrowing money and the value of saving. The school I teach at is very wealthy, and those kids see what their parents have and think it's normal to have a BMW at 16 or a 5000 sq ft house (and will probably want that when they graduate from college- not knowing how much it actually costs).
My first year there, one of my students asked me where my lake house was. I laughed out loud and said "baby- I only have ONE house, and it's not at the lake."

I wish more parents would teach their kids that you don't HAVE to get a car loan, mortgage yourself over your head, or keep up with the Jonses to live a great life!

[Aquila]

It sounds like a great lesson, one I wished all students learned early. And really, it sounds like the big benefit is that you're teaching your daughter your values related to money and home management. The school can teach budgeting and stuff, but it's the values you teach that will give Nell something to save for or help her decide how to spend her money.

I was lucky that my Dad sat me down and taught me how to budget before I went off to college, and that my Mom and Dad both taught me to be careful with money. But I wish a lot of my students got that lesson than seem to.

The marriage thing is interesting. I don't like it, but in the real world, marriage is an economic benefit for many folks. At my university, they figured out that anyone who could take advantage of the married/family medical benefits (subsidized health care) could get up to $9K a year in an untaxed benefit. That's a LOT, and yet one more reason to think about how we organize our health care, insurance, and marriage laws. (Only recently could gay and lesbian domestic partners here use family health benefits; but they're taxed.)

[Flybye]

Partners can be hetero or homosexual. I guess in some eyes either is an "alternative lifestyle" but let's not drift from the main topic of finances

Party pooper

[Flybye]

I've been pleased because Nell's school exercise has opened up a lot of discussion at home

It is great that you are taking advantage of an opportunity handed to you. I love moments like those myself!