MONEY MANAGEMENT
In April, partnering with Starling Bank, Blake and Ocean were each given a Starling Kite debit card (suitable for children 6-16 years old), that would give them control of the family budget (for a set period of time, of course)! Having £150 to last three days, Blake and Ocean were tasked with just that. Sitting his children down, Marvyn opened his children up to conversations about what money is, and where did money “Money isn’t scary. And I think a lot of the time people think it is scary and give it so much meaning, and it can be really well gamified. And then at the end of it, they just learn that it gives you opportunities, but if you save it, it gives you bigger opportunities, which is the key thing.”
With great power comes great responsibility Marvyn Harrison discusses giving his children complete control over their family budget! Marvyn Harrison, founder of Dope Black Dads and BELOVD, spoke to us about an activity he and his two children, Blake (aged 6) and Ocean (aged 4), have been taking part in over the last few months.
Stemming from his own childhood where an understanding of money came from the lack of access to it, Marvyn wanted to teach his children the value of having it, and how to manage it.
come from for adults. As Ocean eloquently observed: “Pocket money is money in your pocket.” The family then ran through the different aspects the budget had to consider: food, petrol, travel, and activities. But they also had to consider the daily things they might come across that will have to be seen through the “lens of money”. Do we need to buy Josie a birthday present? Would we like to save the money, in Blake’s case, for a Nintendo Switch? Discussions turned into practical lessons, where out and about, Marvyn explained debates at the cash till surrounding the shopping list: pricey petrol station crisps or inexpensive, economical supermarket crisps? They
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EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | S UM M ER 2022 | 13
