Teaching children: budgeting

[shootingstar]

My son has his first job now at 13, delivering the paper 3 times a week. It's 2 hours of hard work each time, and he deserves the money he makes, which is considerable for a 13.yr.old. So far he's free to spend it on anything he likes, but we cover food and lodging (of course), most public transport, basic clothing (which he cares zip about) and basic used sports equipment - bike, skis and skates. If he wants new gear or expensive clothes he'll have to pay for them himself, but so far I think all he's paid for is a computer game or two and a couple of outings with friends. If he was just spending money all over the place instead of saving it we might ask him to pay more himself, but since he's that thrifty we don't.

Great, lph. My dearie has his story of his paper route which he had back then at that age and biking around in the winter through the snow to deliver newspapers. They were poor enough, he actually offered to his mother, to pay for some food at times. Can you imagine, at that age? I know his mother took on knitting (this was the 1950's) and other work to make money. His stepfather occasionally drank too much.. and was not as frugal as his mother.

Technology these days, is just one more type of stuff for anyone to covet these days. Especially kids unless they have other passions/distractions.

I do have a favourite memory of my mother sewing a shirt for my father with standup collars, tailored cuffs.....by using expensive Viyella lightweight plaid wool from Scotland. He wore it nearly every wk. It was her way of "treating" him with a gift, I supppose. She spent a certain amount of time with him to select the fabric, etc.