What Do You Think?
Joey and his Mom are walking through the parking lot at the store. Joey says, "Look Mom, there are two quarters. I'm going to pick them up." Mom says, "Well Joey, they probably fell out of someone's pocket. We don't know who the money belongs to, so I guess it's yours. What are you going to do with it?"
(See end of newsletter for a possible answer.)
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Like most people you probably have some strong feelings about money even though you may not think you do. And, these feelings didn't just happen. Rather they've been formed by past experiences. The values and beliefs of the family you grew up in strongly influence your feelings about money today.
If there are two adults in your home there will also be two sets of ideas about money. This can be a source of conflict if you do not talk about these differences. It also can be hard for your child because the child will learn his or her own values and attitudes about money from you.
Remembering Your Childhood
As a parent it can be helpful to occasionally think back to your days as a child. Many of your ideas about money come from what you learned as a child. Here are some questions you might ask yourself to help you understand your own values and attitudes about money.
- How was money treated in your home?
- Did you talk as a family about money?
- What good memories do you have about money?
- What bad memories do you have about money?
- Did you get an allowance? Were there any rules about how you could use it?
- If you didn't get an allowance, how did you get money?
- Did you feel like you had enough money?
- What feelings about money did you carry into adulthood?
Spend some time thinking about these "money memories" and how they affect your life as an adult. Most likely you will want to continue some things, change others, and pass certain attitudes or feelings on to your child.
Finding Out What's Important
Values are those feelings we have about what is really important. Together with your child, do this simple activity that will give you a chance to share and talk about your family values. Find and circle these words: house, fun, food, school, family, and friends. These are things that could be important to your family.
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Have your child draw a picture of one of the things circled that is important to him or her.
Consider This
Joey answers, "I don't know, what do you think I should do?" Mom replies, "Well remember, in our family we try to save part of any extra money we have. Maybe you could put one quarter in your bank and spend the other quarter for something you want." Have your child draw a picture of one of the things circled that is important to him or her.
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Prepared by Donna K. Donald, family life field specialist, and Vicki W. Sickels, former family support program associate, and edited by Laura Sternweis, communication specialist, Iowa State University Extension
. . . . and justice for all The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Many materials can be made available in alternative formats for ADA clients. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964.
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Stanley R. Johnson, director, Cooperative Extension Service, Iowa State University of Science and Technology, Ames, Iowa.
This newsletter is published for families with first grade children by Iowa State University Extension. For more information about parenting education, contact your local county extension office or access the Iowa State University Extension to Families website, www.extension.iastate.edu/families.
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