Family Focus
PARENTING
Triple Whammy
"Spend/Save/Tzedakah" is priceless
for teaching kids to appreciate money.
I
know what I want for my birth-
man.
day:' my first-grader announced.
Rather than a child whining
"A Wii."
incessantly until he gets what he
"Jake," I replied. "Do you realize you
wants and Mom pays for it with
could go to the dollar store and buy
everything else in the shopping
400 toys for the price of one Wii?"
cart — by using the Spend/Save/
"Really?" Jake asked, pondering this Tzedakah plan, kids will learn to
revelation. "I guess I'll just do that
bypass things they really don't need
instead!"
on their way to saving for some-
It's not that my son is inherently
thing they really do want.
greedy; he's actually compassionate
This kind of savings is meant for a
and generous. It's just that he is in a
long-term goal, like going to college
developmental place where it's difficult or spending a high-school semester in
for him to grasp the concept and value Israel, not an exorbitantly priced toy
of money.
or an overpriced outfit. The key here
The vast majority of grade-school-
is to help our children move beyond
ers up to age 11 are what cognitive
instant gratification toward under-
psychologists call con-
standing that some things
crete thinkers who have
cost so much money it
a tough time concep-
takes years to save and
tualizing anything they
pay for them.
can't physically see or
Finally, it's important
touch. Money — thanks
for children to have a
to credit cards, checks,
concrete representation
internet PayPal accounts,
of their savings progress.
etc. — is a hugely
Have them place a sticker
abstract concept.
on a chart each time they
So how do we enlighten
surpass a $10 increment,
our concrete-thinking
or enroll them in a kid-
Sharo n Duke
kiddies that, despite
Est roff
die savings program that
popular playground belief,
requires no minimum
Jewish P arenting
money doesn't grow in
balance and provides
ATM machines?
monthly statements.
The Spend/Save/Tzedakah plan, a
We parents will be as excited as
super-concrete, positively priceless
our kids to see how much money
program that helps children grasp the
they are putting away for their
value of money, empowers them with
future!
financial smarts and encourages them
By putting a small portion of
to give back to their community, all in
their allowance toward tzedakah
one fell swoop.
each week, our children will begin
The basic premise of the Spend/
to appreciate their responsibility
Save/Tzedakah plan is to have our kids as Jews and human beings to share
regularly divide their allowance into
their resources with the community.
three distinct sections.
They'll come to recognize that many
Deciding how to allocate the money
of life's most precious gifts come
(60 percent spending, 30 percent
without a barcode.
savings and 10 percent tzedakah is a
personal family choice). It's important For a piggy bank perfectly designed
kids stick to their weekly designated
to fit the Spend/Save/Tzedakah plan,
amounts.
check out the Learning Cents bank at
For the plan to work, children
www.learningcents.com .
should be required to use their per-
sonal spending money for all non-
Sharon Duke Estroff is an internationally
essential purchases other than birth-
syndicated Jewish parenting columnist,
day and Chanukah gifts.
award-winning Jewish educator, mother
That means our kids pay for their
of four and author of "Can I Have a Cell
own popcorn at the movies and Power Phone for Hanukkah?", now available
Ranger popsicles from the ice cream
everywhere books are sold.
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Michigan Region BBYO
Jewish Heritage Night #2
Blacks, Jews, and You!
Find out at Jewish Heritage Night #2!
1 1001Mri lrie
Make a difference! See the past, discuss
the present, and change the future with
guest speakers MSU Professor Ken Waltzer
nd New Detroit.
When:N. unday, February 24th, 6:30-8:00 PM
Wh e:
at Shalom Synagogue
29901 Middlebelt Rd.
Farmington Hills
Cost*
EE. Refreshments provided.
This event is open to all Jewish teens in grades 8-12.
Fore more information, call BBYO 248.788.0700.
lasz566 .
MERCEDES-BENZ•AUDI•PORSCHE
iN
February 21 • 2008 Cl