big kids [6–9 years]

in 2020 the estimated national average cost for a four-year college degree will be $124,240 [$30,800 annually]

Are you your kiddos credit card? Does your child know the value of a dollar or is money no object? How many times have you asked, “Do you think I’m made of money?” only to reach deep in your pocket and surrender your hard earned cash or cave at the checkout lane at Target? Take back control of the Bank-O-Mama and start teaching your kids discipline about money:

• show me the work…i show you the money

Should an allowance be tied to chores? It’s really a personal choice with some believing it’s important for kids to make the connection between work and pay. Yet others say kids should have a responsibility to help with housework, above and beyond any financial incentive. Ultimately, you decide what works best for your family.

• minimum wage

How much allowance should you fork over? A lot of it should depend on your own financial situation and what kind of commitment you feel you can keep. Experts recommend kids get 50 cents to $1 per week for every year of their age—$3.50 to $7 for a seven year old, for example. Regardless of the amount you start at, give an allowance regularly and increase the amount as your child gets older.

Really the most challenging part of teaching money discipline is for you to have self-control and avoid feeling sorry for your kid because he wants something he can’t afford. Teach him the importance of saving, budgeting, and self discipline. Don’t let your money burn a hole in his pocket… being overly generous won’t teach your kids to be thankful and won’t prepare them for the real world either.

*A great resource for any family implementing an allowance is www.activeallowance.com

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no shop til’ you drop

How should kids spend their allowance? It’s a good idea to have them use it for discretionary things, not essential purchases like food or clothing. Let kids make buying decisions and mistakes, without dire consequences. It doesn’t hurt to encourage your kids to put away a portion for charity and another portion for savings. Let them choose where to donate the money. It may be a cause that a child can relate to in some way, like an animal shelter or a group that helps sick kids. If some of the allowance goes to savings, consider setting up an account at a local bank. This way, your kiddo can keep track of the money. Many banks offer special bank accounts for kids, and yours may enjoy the experience of getting mail, even if the mail is a bank statement.

Nolonger a little kid but not yet an adult. No, it’s not the title of Taylor Swift’s latest hit single, but rather exactly how your tween feels. They want to test the limits and we just want them to continue being that good kid they have been all these years.

how to deal with tween mean

Your child has always been an angel and then they arrive... the dreaded tween years. Suddenly you may have to deal with backchat, lying and attitude not to mention strange new music and fashion! Here are some tips to help deal with your ever changing tween as you try to understand what makes them tick: sources: www.mayoclinic.com, www.drrobyn.com, www.organizedmommy.com, www.iparenting.com, www.kidshealth.org, www.teenbehaviorcontracts.com

• get it…got it…good: understand your tween will want to test out his independence. Answering back or disobeying is a way of demonstrating this and showing you that he has a mind of his own. Support as much independence as possible, even if it involves some risks - tweens need to learn by their own mistakes.

• listen…don’t just hear: take a vested interest in what your tween says by feeding back what you’ve been told and not jumping in with your own judgments.

• lay down the law: be clear on the rules of your home and what you expect as your tween grows. Like every other stage of development, say what you mean and mean what you say.

• easy on the orders: too many orders can overwhelm tweens. Explain why some things have to be, but listen to his views. If you have to overrule, explain that until he’s more mature, there are some decisions you must make for him.

• keep your cool: avoid arguments as much as possible and only criticize a behavior, not your tween.

• talk about it: communicating, at any age, is an essential parenting skill. Tweens need you to understand how they’re feeling and to listen to their views - this helps build self-esteem.

• role model: remember, tweens still learn by example. They are bound to imitate what they see their parents do. The best way to have your tween do what you want is to demonstrate that exact behavior, rather than just order them to do it!