Growing Up Archives - Kids Ain't Cheap

StoryWorth: The Most Thoughtful Gift That Can Be Cherished for Years

June 9, 2022 | Leave a Comment

My grandma died almost 20 years ago at the age of 90. I was close to her and thought I had asked her everything I needed to about her life. But as I get older, I realize there are still more things I would like to ask her and more I would have liked to have known about her, especially her younger years before I was born. I wish StoryWorth, the most thoughtful gift, would have been around when she was in her 70s and 80s.

What Is StoryWorth?

StoryWorth is a website that helps you learn about your relatives’ lives. For a $49 fee, you can get one question a week sent to your relative. Your relative answers the question, and StoryWorth compiles all of the answers. Your relative can also add pictures to the stories. After one year, the stories are bound into a hardcover book.

What Questions Are Asked?

StoryWorth has hundreds of questions. When you first pay for the subscription, StoryWorth populates 52 questions automatically. However, you can change out questions by looking through the available questions. This allows you to target specific information you’d like to know. Some potential questions include, “Describe one of your most memorable birthdays,” and “How did you meet your spouse? When did you decide you wanted to marry them?”

The Most Thoughtful Gift’s Stay Power

StoryWorth is an excellent gift for you and your children to learn more about older relatives’ lives. However, this gift is a gift that keeps on giving.

As I get older, I’m spending more time researching my ancestry. I have a great, great, great grandfather, Alonzo, who fought in the Civil War. He kept a journal during that time, but the journal was factual information about the battles he was in and the marches the soldiers took. There was nothing personal. I discovered that Alonzo’s mother typed up a two-page document about her life, which included personal information about Alonzo. That is a cherished document because those relatives now are more than a branch on my family tree. I have a glimpse into how they lived.

Imagine how cherished a StoryWorth book full of memories will be to future generations when they want to know more about the people in their family tree!

Our Experience with StoryWorth

I bought my mom a subscription to StoryWorth for Mother’s Day. She has answered every prompt with several paragraphs of writing. Although I know the stories behind most of her answers, my kids didn’t. They love learning more about their grandmother’s life, especially when she was younger.

Final Thoughts

StoryWorth is the most thoughtful gift for the recipient, the gift giver, and future generations. The recipient gets to share the stories of her life and relive her memories. The gift-giver learns more about the recipient’s life and create a cherished keepsake. Future generations of family genealogists get a priceless document that will let them deeply learn about the life of one person in their family tree.

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Melissa Batai

Melissa is a writer and virtual assistant. She earned her Master’s from Southern Illinois University, and her Bachelor’s in English from the University of Michigan. When she’s not working, you can find her homeschooling her kids, reading a good book, or cooking. She resides in Arizona where she dislikes the summer heat but loves the natural beauty of the area.

7 Free Activities to Do with Toddlers This Summer

May 19, 2022 | Leave a Comment

When my kids were toddlers, we tried to do something outside the house every day, especially on the weekend. Staying inside made me stir-crazy, and I wanted the toddlers to burn off some energy outdoors. Summertime was my favorite time because there are so many free activities to do with toddlers.

7 Free Activities to Do with Toddlers

If you don’t want to spend a lot of money keeping your toddler entertained, try these free activities that toddlers love.

Visit Bookstores

Our bookstore had a large wooden train frame and several different toy trains. My son LOVED the train table. He would play for an hour at the table, and he enjoyed watching and interacting with other kids who came to play there. Parents can sit nearby and browse books while their kids play.

If your book store doesn’t have something like this, I still would take the toddlers to a bookstore, sit in a chair, and read them a few board books.

Utilize the Library

The library was one of my and my kids’ favorite places to go because there’s so much for toddlers to do:

Attend Storytime

We were regulars at storytime. Our library had storytime four times a week, and we showed up for many weekly sessions. They even had bilingual story time in Spanish. Afterward, the librarians usually had a craft for the kids to do. These events were a big hit with all three of my kids, and today they are voracious readers, which I attribute partially to all of the storytimes they attended.

Attend Enrichment Events

Likewise, many libraries have enrichment events you can check out. Our library has had magic shows, wild animal presentations, theater presentations, puppet shows, and many more activities. Check out your local library’s calendar and surrounding areas to find these events.

Borrow Busy Bags/Games

Libraries aren’t just for reading! In the kids’ area, many libraries have games and busy bags that their youngest patrons can check out. We always utilized these; my kids loved having new activities to do at home.

Museum Passes

At some libraries, you can check out museum passes, which allow you and your child to get into various museums around town for free! You can utilize these a few times a year to expand the places you have access to for free.

Attend Free Community Events

If you live in a larger city, there may be free community events during the summer. We lived in the Chicago suburbs when my kids were little, and every Saturday, my husband took the kids downtown to an event that featured singing, dancing, and games.

You may also find outdoor concerts, plays, and festivals. Fourth of July parades are usually a hit with the toddler crowd, too.

Swim

Free Activities to Do with Toddlers This Summer

Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash

If you have a lake or public pool nearby, take your kids swimming. It’s never too early to learn to swim, and most toddlers love playing in the water and with the sand on the shore.

Final Thoughts

Entertaining your little one and getting her out and about in the community doesn’t have to cost a lot. These are just a few of the many free activities to do with toddlers this summer.

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Melissa Batai

Why I Decided to Teach My Teen to Drive

March 10, 2022 | Leave a Comment

When I was a teen, my high school offered driver’s ed as a four-week class during the summer. We sat in an air-conditioned classroom during the morning and watched driver’s training videos. Then, in the afternoon, we went out to the parking lot to practice driving a car. Later, we made our way onto the roads. The instructor had a car equipped with pedals on his side to override any mistakes we made when braking or accelerating. However, now, thanks to budget cuts, many schools no longer offer driver’s training. Instead, parents must choose between teaching their kids to drive or paying for a driving school. For our family, there were several reasons why I decided to teach my teen to drive.

Why I Decided to Teach My Teen to Drive

Our family picked this option for a few reasons.

Driving School Is Expensive!

In our area, driving school is expensive! The cheapest package includes two hours of driver’s ed and two one-hour driving sessions for $189. Their mid-level package includes 10 one-hour driving sessions for $699. Their elite package includes 30 one-hour driving sessions for $1799.

If I picked the cheapest session, I would still have to go out with my teen for many hours of driving, so why not just do it myself?

We ended up buying a home-based driver’s ed program. We watch that for a few lessons. Then we hit the road. So far, our teen has about 10 hours of driving under his belt.

I Can Keep My Cool

Another reason why I decided to teach my teen to drive is that I can keep my cool. If he does something erratic like accidentally pushing the gas instead of the brake (it’s happened!) I can quickly and calmly tell him to hit the other pedal.

If you don’t think you can keep your cool with your teen, I don’t recommend teaching them to drive. My mom went out driving with me just twice before I got my license. Once, I was learning to drive stick shift, and I stalled the car in an intersection when I tried to go from a stop. My mom panicked and started saying, “Go, go! We’re going to get hit!” Let me tell you, that did not help me get the car moving.

We Have a Vehicle to Use

We have two vehicles, one we bought 17 years ago when our teen was just an infant. Of course, I don’t want my son to have an accident, but if he does have a fender bender, this vehicle can take it. If I had a brand-new car, I might not decide to teach my teen to drive.

Final Thoughts

Should you teach your teen to drive? As you can see, that depends on many factors. For our family, I decided to teach my teen to drive because we could save money, I stay calm, and we have a vehicle he can use. However, other families may have to consider other factors and make the decision that is right for their families.

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Melissa Batai

What Should Teen Drivers Contribute to the Expense of a Vehicle?

February 17, 2022 | Leave a Comment

Do you remember the day you received your driver’s license? I remember going down to the Secretary of State’s office on my 16^th birthday to get my license. It was the best birthday present ever. Now, my husband and I have a teen who is almost ready to be an independent driver. As a result, we are currently determining what should teen drivers contribute to the expense of a vehicle? If you ask this question to other parents, you’ll find answers just as varied as the parents themselves.

Avoid Burdening Them Too Much

Teenagers should learn that financial responsibility is the flip side of increasing independence. Most of us don’t want spoiled, entitled teens, and asking them to be at least partly responsible for some of a vehicle’s expense that they use is fair. However, I’m of the mindset that we shouldn’t burden teens in high school too much.

When I was 16, I inherited my dad’s fixer-upper El Camino. I was responsible for gas and insurance. That meant I had to have a job to have the vehicle, and I needed the car to have a job. When I had been driving for six months, my mom bought me a used Ford Escort in better shape than the El Camino. I made payments to her for the car and was also responsible for all of the maintenance and upkeep as well as gas, insurance, and registration. With this purchase, I was locked into having a job throughout the rest of high school to afford the car. That affected my grades.

I’ve decided to handle things differently with my kids.

What Should Teen Drivers Contribute to the Expense of a Vehicle?

Ultimately, what you choose is based on your beliefs and values. However, here are some popular options.

Pay All Expenses & Tie Car Usage to Behavior

One option, especially if you don’t want to give your vehicle to, or buy a vehicle for, your teen is to not have the teen pay anything. (This is also a good option if your teen doesn’t have time to work a part-time job.)

Using this approach, the vehicle is yours, and you’re simply allowing the teen to borrow it. However, you clearly state that the teen can lose the right to use the vehicle if he doesn’t maintain his good grades or if he has an attitude or does not keep up on his chores.

Pay for Gas

Some parents have their teens pay for gas only. If your child only works during the summer or does not have a job and does chores at home for money, paying for gas is a good option since she doesn’t earn a lot of money. If she’s financially savvy, she’ll soon learn to drive only when necessary and to combine errands so she doesn’t spend too much on gas.

Pay a Percentage of Their Income

Another option is to have your teen pay a percentage of their income to help pay for the car’s expense. If your child makes $100 a week at his job, maybe he pays 15% of his income, $15 in this case, per week, for the privilege of using the vehicle.

The Child Pays for Unusual Expenses

Regardless if you have the teen pay for gas or a percentage of their income or nothing at all, many parents have their children pay for unusual expenses.

For instance, if your child gets a speeding ticket, he is responsible for both the ticket and the amount that the insurance increases because of the ticket.

Or, if he has a car accident that is clearly his fault, he pays for the car repairs or at least a portion of the repairs. You may also require him to pay the deductible for the car repairs.

Why They Shouldn’t Be Responsible for Maintenance

Some parents want their children to be responsible for the car’s maintenance and upkeep, but I would argue against that. Car repairs nowadays can be expensive. Some teens will avoid routine maintenance like oil changes and regular tune-ups because they’re too costly. That’s unfortunate because routine maintenance lowers the cost of the car’s upkeep. Plus, many repairs are cheaper if they’re made as soon as the driver recognizes a problem.

That second car my mom bought for me? The Ford Escort? We bought it from a college student who we didn’t realize had not maintained it because he couldn’t afford to. Even though my mom bought the car with only 40,000 miles on it, it lasted me less than a year because the former owner never added oil to the vehicle or maintained it.

When your teen is driving, you want them to be safe, and you also want to maintain the quality of the vehicle. That’s why my husband and I plan to pay for the maintenance and repairs while our kids are in high school.

Save the Money for Them

If you can afford the vehicle and you’re having your child contribute only to learn financial responsibility, you have another option to consider. Some parents in this situation take the money that they require the teen to contribute for use of the car and save that money. They may put it in a Roth IRA for the child, which is only possible if your teen has a job. Or, they secretly put the money in an account that the child can use to buy a car when they move out or to use to fund the expenses they have when they move out.

Saving the money for the child (without telling her) is a good option because you’re teaching financial responsibility, but you’re also helping her in the future with her own money.

Final Thoughts

Having a car or access to a car as a teen is a privilege, not a right. Determining what should teen drivers contribute to the expense of a vehicle is a personal choice. We will most likely have our teen contribute the price of gas, and we’ll cover the rest until he’s older and has a part-time job.

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Melissa Batai

Why You Shouldn’t Pay for Braces in Full to Save

January 20, 2022 | Leave a Comment

From about the time my oldest was six, I knew that he would need braces. His teeth were cramped and crooked. We were on a tight budget, and I was concerned about the cost. When our oldest was 11, our dentist suggested he get a consult with the orthodontist. The orthodontist told us what we already knew—he would need braces, and it was going to be expensive. When the orthodontist gave us the various payment options, I saw that there was a discount if you paid for the treatment upfront. After much investigation, we learned there are several reasons why you shouldn’t pay for braces in full to save.

How Much Do You Save by Paying in Full?

In our case, we would have saved $150 off the total $5,000 cost of braces by paying in full.

Why You Shouldn’t Pay for Braces in Full to Save

We decided not to pay in full for several reasons.

Impacts Your Finances

Because we were on a tight budget, paying $5,000 out of pocket at once would hinder our finances. We couldn’t justify upsetting our finances and struggling for a few months financially to save $150.

Payment Plan Is Available

Many orthodontists have payment plans available. These payment plans often are offered at zero percent interest. We paid our orthodontist a $500 down payment and then paid $125 monthly for 36 months. The monthly payment was small enough that it didn’t affect our budget.

We also had a flexible spending account, and each month, we submitted the $125 payment for reimbursement.

Had we paid for the braces in full, we wouldn’t have been able to get all of the money reimbursed from our flexible spending account because those have a yearly limit (currently $2,850).

The Orthodontist May Close His Practice

When we researched whether we should pay for his braces in full, someone warned me that the orthodontist might close his practice while our son was getting treatment. If that happened, all the money we paid upfront would be gone.

I listened to the advice but didn’t think this was a serious concern. How many orthodontists suddenly close their practice? My son completed his orthodontic treatment successfully.

Then our oldest daughter got her braces with the same orthodontist. One year into the pandemic, he pulled me aside to tell me that his business had taken a hit and he was closing down his practice. Thankfully, we hadn’t paid upfront with our daughter, either. I can’t imagine being out all that money, but now I know that unforeseen circumstances can arise, and orthodontists can and do close their practices.

Final Thoughts

If you’re a bargain shopper, you may like the idea of saving some money by paying in full for braces. However, we learned you shouldn’t pay in full for braces to save because you can’t fully utilize your flexible spending account. More importantly, your orthodontist may go out of business as ours did during the pandemic. Then you would have lost all of the money you paid upfront, which is no savings at all.

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Melissa Batai

Should Your Teen File a Tax Return for a Summer Job?

October 7, 2021 | Leave a Comment

Getting a summer job may be the first taste of freedom for your teen. She likely now has more money coming in than she did when she was only receiving an allowance. However, with increased freedom comes increased responsibility. Your teen may now also need to file a tax return. Whether she needs to file a tax return for a summer job will depend on several factors.

Should Your Teen File a Tax Return for a Summer Job?

The quick answer is, it depends. Here are a few factors to consider:

How Much Did He Make?

First, consider how much your teenager earned in a year. According to the IRS, if a single filer earned less than $12,550 in 2021, he does not need to file a tax return. (This new amount represents an increase to account for inflation, up $150 from last year.)

However, you must answer another question to know whether or not he needs to file taxes—did he have taxes taken from every paycheck?

Did She Have Taxes Withheld?

When your child starts a new job, she has to fill out a W-4 form. On that form, she has to determine whether or not she will have taxes deducted. If she thinks she will earn less than $12,550 in a year, she can claim “exempt,” and no taxes will be taken out of her paycheck. If no taxes were pulled from her paycheck and she earned less than $12,550 a year, she likely won’t have to file a tax return. To be certain, you can utilize the IRS’ free tool, Do I Need to File a Tax Return?

You may consider having your child go ahead and have taxes withdrawn from her paycheck for two reasons.

First, having taxes withdrawn from her paycheck is a good life experience. When she’s older and working full-time, taxes will be withdrawn. Learning that her entire salary is not her own because her employer will withdraw things like taxes and insurance is a good experience.

Second, some states have different standard deductions. If you live in Arizona and are a single filer, you have a standard $12,550 state deduction just like the federal deduction. However, if you live in Iowa, the single standard state deduction is only $2,130. If your child works in Iowa and earns more than $2,130 in a calendar year, she will owe state taxes if she claims “exempt” on her W-4. If you don’t know what your state’s deduction is, having taxes withheld is easier.

One Exception

An important exception is if your child is an independent contractor, a.k.a a freelancer, and earns a 1099-MISC for his work. If he is a freelancer, he will need to pay self-employment taxes regardless of how much he makes in a year. In this case, he will need to file an income tax return every year.

Final Thoughts

Whether or not your child needs to file a tax return for a summer job depends on several factors. If you’re still not sure, the IRS tool should help you determine the answer.

Getting your child into the habit of having taxes withheld and filing a tax return is excellent practice for adulthood and the responsibilities that come with it.

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Melissa Batai

How to Afford Raising a Child with Special Needs

June 3, 2021 | Leave a Comment

When you have a special needs child, you are faced with a double financial whammy. Of course, there is the added expense for therapy, medication, counseling, tutoring, etc. These expenses alone can put a family into debt as they try to provide for their child. However, there’s another cost that is rarely discussed. Because caring for a special needs child can be time consuming, often one parent has to quit their job or reduce their hours to part-time. Now, there are not only added expenses, but a loss of income. How can one afford raising a child with special needs?

Thankfully, there is assistance available, if you know where to look.

Get a Diagnosis

The first thing you must do is get a diagnosis. For instance, if your child has autism, she likely can’t receive any therapy until she is officially diagnosed by a qualified professional.

You will need to talk to your pediatrician to see how to go about getting a diagnosis. There are a number of experts who diagnosis special needs children, depending on what special need you think your child has.

How to Afford Raising a Child with Special Needs

Photo by Nathan Anderson on Unsplash

Once you have the diagnosis, you can begin to pursue therapy, if need be, and funding sources. There are a number of places you should look.

See What Your Insurance Covers

Once you have the diagnosis, the next step is to see what your insurance covers. All three of my children have special needs. While my husband’s insurance didn’t cover speech therapy (some insurances do, but ours didn’t), it did cover applied behavioral analysis (ABA) therapy for our children with autism.

Depending on the quality of your insurance, you may be surprised to find that it covers more than you would have expected.

Talk to Other Parents

If you’re in contact with other parents of special needs kids, make sure to talk to them. They can give you tips for where to find resources, whether they be federal or state aid or grants.

You can find other special needs parents at support groups and in places like Facebook groups. If you homeschool, you may find special needs parents in your homeschool groups because a surprising number of kids who are homeschooled have special needs.

The more people you can talk to the better because each parent has a different story and different places where they’re getting help and support.

Apply for Social Security Income (SSI)

Another option is to apply for social security income. Based on your family income and your child’s disability, you may qualify for SSI. You will need to fill out some forms and make an appointment at your local social security office. There, you will have an interview about your finances and your child’s disability.

Of note, if your child qualifies for SSI, you will also be able to cover your child through Medicaid.

If you don’t have private insurance but make too much to qualify for Medicaid, look into getting insurance through the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

Open an ABLE Account

Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash

An ABLE account allows you to save money in a special account just for your special needs child’s medical and living expenses. You or other relatives like grandparents can deposit up to $15,000 a year. This tax-advantaged savings account does not tax the income earned by the account.

Another advantage of this account is that if your child qualifies for governmental assistance, such as SSI or Medicaid, the money in their ABLE account does not disqualify them for services on a financial basis. Meanwhile, the money in the ABLE account can be used for their education, food, housing, support services, and an array of other needs.

Find What You’re Eligible for With Your State

Another fabulous tool to use is Benefits Finder. This tool asks you to input some information about your child and his disability. It can then help you see what benefits your child may be able to receive and what agencies to contact to pursue these options.

Determine If Your State Supports School Choice

Many special needs children simply don’t get the support and intervention that they need through the public school. If your state supports school choice, you may be able to apply for funding to help provide your child with the education they need, whether that be through homeschooling and using tutors and therapists or through a private school, which would otherwise be unaffordable.

I’m in the state of Arizona, and they offer Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA). I have one child who has both dyslexia and a speech issue, so we applied and qualified for the ESA scholarship. Through those funds, I was able to get my child a private dyslexia tutor and a private speech therapist. Paying for these things out of pocket would have cost my family $800 a month, which is not sustainable. Thanks to the scholarship, I could afford to pay for that. My child has now graduated successfully from both therapies.

Indiana is planning to launch a similar program, and Mississippi has several scholarships available for students with special needs. You can find out if your state offers a similar program by going to the Ed Choice website.

Final Thoughts

Raising a special needs child can be exhausting, but it’s also rewarding. However, the financial costs of getting your child the help he needs can be financially draining. One special needs parent I spoke with when we first learned of our children’s disability said she and her husband ended up filing for bankruptcy because there were so many interventions she had to pay out of pocket.

There are resources available so that seeking help for your special needs child doesn’t have to decimate your finances. With these resources, you should hopefully find ways to afford raising a special needs child.

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Melissa Batai

Charity Birthday Party Ideas Your Kids Will Love

March 18, 2021 | Leave a Comment

Although birthdays are meant to be a celebration, sometimes we can’t help but feel we’re spending more money on a party than we need to. Instead of paying hundreds of dollars on new toys that your child will outgrow, put that money to good use by hosting a do-good birthday party for your kid. Lots of parenting websites have great ideas for charity birthday party ideas, and we’ve compiled a list of our favorites. And if you’re worried about your children hating your suggestions, kids are natural givers and would likely be more than willing to help out people in need.

Bring an Animal Shelter to Your Home

There are plenty of pet adoption centers and animal societies that would be willing to bring their animals to private events like a birthday party.

Photo by Jairo on Unsplash

Or, you could see if you could host your party at the local animal shelter. That’s what the Shaw Family in Portland, Oregon did. They had their party guests bring treats, toys, and other donations for the cats and dogs, and you can do the same. Guests can also be given the option to adopt one of the pets!

Have a Couple Piggy Banks in the Party Area

At an early age, we teach kids the value of money with allowances and earning extra cash with chores or babysitting. To show them how a little goes a long way, have a couple piggy banks in the party area where guests can make their donations. You can label each of the piggy banks with a different charity, which gives guests the option to choose which organizations they would like to support.

Organize a Clothing Drive

Take cue from the Multari twins in Hamilton, Ontario, and have your child’s friends and neighbors bring in previously loved and any unused clothes. The girls ask for pajamas every year, sometimes receiving as many as 93 pairs of pajamas to donate. The girls’ pajama drive has been so successful, they have even started their own nonprofit. Depending on your charity, you might have to limit the kinds of garments you accept.

Donations to Your Local Homeless Shelter

Another idea is to call your local homeless shelter and ask what items they need. Then, you can create a wish list, and party goers can choose from the wish list.

Another idea is to see what food the shelter may need. You and your party guests could create sack lunches for the homeless, making sandwiches, bagging chips and desserts, and adding a fruit.

Final Thoughts

American children are often spoiled when it comes to material items, especially when they receive many gifts from well-intended birthday party guests. Instead of showering your children in gifts, choose one of these charity parties to help spread the wealth, so to speak. The more you and your children practice giving, the more you’ll enjoy helping others. Your guests can feel good about their role in helping others, too.

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Melissa Batai

Free Printable Kids Money for Download

October 29, 2020 | Leave a Comment

Getting ready to teach your children or students how to interact with money? That’s fantastic! Not only will this building block help them learn mathematics like counting by fives and tens, but it will also prepare them for the workplace. Let’s take a look at a variety of free printable kids money available on the Web and ways to teach kids about money.

Free Printable Kids Money for Download

Monopoly Money

One of the most recognizable currencies for children (or at least this 90s kid) is the brightly colored money from the Hasbro game, Monopoly. These bills differ from U.S. currency in appearance but offer your children a chance to practice their counting, sorting, and hand-eye coordination skills.

Download your free printable Monopoly money here.

U.S. Coins

Are your children ready to learn coin values? Making change? Let’s take a look at some printable coin sheets for you:

Customized printable sheets of play money – At StemSheets.com, you can customize the number and denomination of play coins you need on each sheet. For example, you can print off 20 coins of each value (up to a quarter) on a single piece of paper. That’s 80 coins – in color – on one sheet.

Printable coins and coloring pages – Head over to EnchantedLearning.com to view printable images of quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies. Also, view a myriad of coloring pages for your child to enjoy as they educate her about U.S. coins.

Printable coin math worksheets – Ready to test your child’s knowledge of counting and making change? These free worksheets are great tools for just that.

Bonus Read: “6 Fun Money Games for Kids“

U.S. Dollars

Got a bank teller in the making? Help your children or students identify the correct face on each piece of currency and count them in quantities of fives, tens, twenties, or even hundreds with these options:

Fake Play Bills – Looking for fake $1, $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100 bills for your kids? Here is a complete list of free and printable play bills. These can engage your young child in a myriad of money lessons like counting, sorting, and even practicing good habits like using the envelope system.

Realistic Bills – Add a Face – A great way to quiz your child on whose face belongs to which bill is to show him this realistic play money with no face in the middle. After printing out these bills by denomination, he can color in his own face for some added fun. No worries. It’s only a federal crime to deface U.S. currency when it’s not play money. 😉

Games and Play to Teach Kids About Money

In the preschool years, kids are just beginning to learn that money has value and can be used to buy goods. In early elementary, they learn to distinguish between the various bills and coins and their value. You can help your child become money smart at an early age by playing money games with them. Consider some of the following:

Buying Groceries

Print, cut, and laminate these terrific flash cards to quiz your child on prices at the grocery store. For example, she can use her fake money to pay for a $2 bag of popcorn or $1 bottle of water or do the math to pay for them both.

As your child gets older and masters this play game, you can take her with you to the grocery store. Give her a certain amount of money and ask her to buy a few select things from your list. This is a great time to teach her the difference between name brand and unbranded goods and the price difference between them.

Going to a Restaurant

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Take advantage of your child’s love of play to play a game of restaurant. Present children with a menu using one of these realistic free menu downloads. Then, let your child choose his food, pay for the meal, and leave a tip. This is an excellent time to talk about budgeting and staying within a budget when dining out. Don’t forget to let your child switch roles and practice being the waiter.

Using Printable Play Checks

Is your child old enough to write? Then he’s old enough to learn how to write a check. Paper checks may seem archaic in today’s digital world, but it’s still a foundational skill from which your child will build his financial knowledge upon.

For example, give him a set list of chores to complete, then pay with a check using these free printable checks. Teach him how to understand the information on the check, endorse it properly on the back, and cash it. This will help him understand the role banks and employers will play in his life later, even if his paychecks are directly deposited.

Practicing Estimation

Another fun activity is helping your children practice estimation. Fill a glass jar with coins, and let your kids guess how much money is in there. The person with the closest estimate wins a small prize.

Collecting Change

Another idea is to save all your coins in a jar as a family. Decide together what you’ll use the money for. Maybe you’ll use it for a fun day out or for a donation to a charity you all agree on.

Teaching about Interest

For older elementary kids, teach them how interest works. They can deposit money with you for their savings, and every month you can give them interest, at a rate you’ve determined, on their savings. Your kids will likely be excited by this “free” money they’ve earned and want to save even more.

Final Thoughts

We all want our kids to be savvy when it comes to saving and spending. Those skills should start being developed early, when kids are three to ten, through printable money and games with the kids. The earlier you can start them understanding the value of money, the longer you have to teach them how to use money responsibly.

Bonus Read: “How to Teach a Child to Count Money“

Got any favorite ways to teach kids about money? We’d love to hear about them in the comments below!

Parenting Win: Teaching Money Skills to Your Kids,

Games That Teach Kids About Money,

Free Apps that Help Kids Manage Their Pocket Money

Melissa Batai

How to Help Your Child Socialize During a Pandemic

September 24, 2020 | Leave a Comment

We have three kids who are 16, 12, and 10. The older two are quite social, and the younger one is introverted and prefers to be at home. When the stay-at-home order began at the end of March, I wasn’t too worried. I thought we’d be mostly home for a month or two and then cases would be low enough to resume most normal activities. Boy, was I wrong! As our time at home stretched on, all three of my kids started craving social interaction. If yours do too, here’s how to help your child socialize during a pandemic.

Zoom Is Your Friend

Before the pandemic, I hadn’t even heard of Zoom. Now, it’s a household name.

All three of my kids use Zoom to stay in touch with friends. There are a variety of ways they have socialized with their friends over Zoom.

Cooking Lessons

My oldest has a friend who loves to cook Mexican food for her large family. Over Zoom one day, she cooked while my son watched and asked her questions. He wrote down the recipe and has created the meal himself.

Likewise, your child can cook at the same time their friend is. Even more fun, your kids and their friends can have a Chopped session. Each pulls out three unusual ingredients, and over Zoom, they cook a meal and decide who is the winner.

White Board Games

My younger two frequently use the whiteboard feature and play games over Zoom with their friends that way. They’ve played hangman and tic tac toe. They’ve even drawn each other pictures and talked about them.

Board Games

Younger kids might enjoy playing board games over Zoom. Each child would need to have the board game in his or her house and move for the other player.

Watch Movies Together

Have one person the designated movie player. All that person has to do is share screen and then tap the tab where she has the movie set up and all Zoom participants can watch the movie and chat while watching.

While it’s not quite the same as having your friends lounging on the couch with you watching the movie together, it is the next best thing considering our current times.

Meet in Person, Socially Distanced

Help Your Child Socialize During a Pandemic

Photo by Julian Schiemann on Unsplash

If you feel comfortable with doing this, another option is to have your older kids meet in person. Have them wear a mask and socially distance. Some kids do this and play a game like hackey sack where they don’t have to be really close to one another. Other options would be skateboarding or throwing a frisbee. Teens could also play a game of tennis or go on a socially distanced hike. As long as they’re socially distanced, wearing a mask, and outdoors, they should be good for any outdoor meet ups.

Final Thoughts

While some people have gone back to more normal activities such as work and attending schools, other families have chosen to stay mostly at home to protect people in their family who may be high risk. If you fall into the latter category, there are still ways to help your children socialize during the pandemic.

Tips to Improve Eye Fatigue from Online School

Why the Pandemic Affected Our School Choice

What You Need to Know to Homeschool Your Child in the Age of COVID

Melissa Batai