'Let A 14-Year-Old Say 14-Year-Old Things'

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[strw_skll]

My mom always was transparent when we couldn't afford stuff and I'm glad they didn't hide the money aspect about life.

[JonduGaming]

When my dad was laid off, our parents sat us siblings down and said "Money's going to be tight. We can't buy things you might want, or eat out as often as we normally do." Even my brother, who wasn't even 10 at the time, understood. Sure, sometimes we asked still, but there were other times where we wanted to ask, but remembered it wasn't in the budget and let it go.
Kids can understand. You just need to teach them.

[BriannaPresto]

My son is a bit younger, he’s 8.5. He knows the difference between no we aren’t buying that right now and no we cannot afford that right now. He never argues back or tries negotiating when we say we can’t afford something at the moment. Hopefully he always understands that concept

[dakotaflower]

My family was well off, upper middle class. My dad always would sit us down and let us know when their would be times we needed to tighten the family belt: no buying movies, only 1 blockbuster rental a week, eating out only once a month, etc. Whatever your situation, just lay down the rules and let the kids know what’s up, they will adapt.

[LucasHenry-kp]

I was stuck in the same loop for years. I read "The Architect of Riches" and something finally clicked. I see money differently now. Life changing.

[CecileEdwards]

That says it all right there John you need to be more comfortable with your 14 year-old being uncomfortable. The problem is today. Parents are trying to pacify their children. They’re trying to give them everything they want and then they come out with a sense of entitlement a sense of not knowing where money comes from a sense of not having any kind of work ethic at all. It’s time that this type of thing stopped. This has a lot to do with the actions of the way children and adults are acting today believe me I’m a retired psychologist and I’ve seen it all!

[famj]

My uncle was going through a hard time. My mom told him that things will get better and that he should be thankful his children are still young while going through the difficult times. Many years later, my cousin and her younger brothers were done with college. My cousin said to me that she's glad they went through hard times. It taught her and her brothers many things in life and that she wouldn't change anything.

[Jersmen_Kay]

I grew up poor, my mom was a CNA and had 3 kids, we never went without but we didnt have extra. As a kid I never felt that. I felt that I had what everybody else did. Its not the kids responsibility to carry the burden or worrying about finances, but definitely make realistic expectations known while theyre young.

[WoFDarkNewton]

Even if you can afford it, your freshman in high school does not need $20 lunches… what?

[Sarah-II]

I have to tell my son all the time that I don't have the money for certain things. You gotta do what you gotta do

[melissaharris]

Financial literary is important for children to learn.
I remember my mom telling us that "we don't need it" whenever we asked for chocolates or toys outside of birthdays and Christmas. I soon leaned, "Don't need it, " meant couldn't afford it. Learning the difference between a want and a need is the first step yo being responsible, financially or otherwise.

[MireyaR]

My mom was a single parent for my young years. She had me balance the checkbook for us so I’d see what came in and what went out. Having that lesson early on age 7-9 years of age was valuable as all get out. As an adult it taught me so so much.

[rosesen]

We need to go back to the way it was for my generation- we did not ask!we got what we got and said thank you

[MyWifeMakesGoodFood]

My son is 6. We have been teaching him about money since he was 4. He has the opportunity to earn money by doing extra chores around the house. This year we are teaching him about saving and giving along with having money to spend.

[solpat]

OMG! What the hell is wrong with some parents nowadays. As my mother used to say when we were being brats growing up “until you start paying the bills in this house, you have no say in the decisions I as a parent make” That would have included asking for $20 take out, if any of us had been stupid enough to make that kind of demand at aged 14. We would not have seen 15, I can tell you.😮

[stricklycorrugated]

I had a friend whose house was going into foreclosure partly because she wouldn’t tell kids no to anything. They ate out three times a day 6 days a week. They demanded designer clothes. Her teen daughter had 14 Stanley cups all in shades of pink and purple. She bought her son a car much, much nicer than anything she or her husband drove. It was sad to watch.

[rantingguy]

I was always treated severely if I asked for anything outside of birthdays or Christmas. Anything I wanted outside of those times, I was taught to ask if I could do something to make some money instead.

Of course no matter what the task was, the pay was $5, and that was at max. Basic chores such as opening the 220 lb farm gate every evening and closing it after my father returned from work, trash taking out, room cleaning, vacuuming of public areas, doing homework, going to school, all of that basic life stuff and common chores earned a total of $5 per week if all were done satisfactorily.

On the upside of this, I was also taught that my money was mine to do with no matter what I wanted to do with it. I never wanted to buy guns before I was a full adult, but I did have a childlike fascination with knives and swords and I was the only 10-year-old i knew of with throwing knives, daggers, and a real shortsword.

Then I found video games. And honestly playing with swords and air was a lot more fun because my friends, who all of which did not have swords, could participate!

[peterwright]

This is also part of being a good parent.

[rgwhiteywins]

Teach daughter how to cook yummy things to bring for lunch. Get her a thermal lunchbox so she can make or reheat the food and be able to eat it warm at school. Her buddies will be impressed.

[f.kdu]

Parents never had that conversation. So much drama could have been avoided if we just sat down and talked. Until today, I won’t forgive them. I’ll forget about them but not forgive. They can live their lives and I’ll live mine in peace