When it comes to giving to others, one of things most people are afraid of and the reason for not giving to a needy person is that they may take the money to buy booze or otherwise spend it foolishly. As a result, many of us prefer to give to a recognized charity as we open our wallets and purses to help others financially.
It has been said that many of us give out of a feeling of guilt. I believe that! I also believe that if we are not able to give because of our own financial obligations, we also carry around another version of guilt....Guilt out of not helping others that we know are in need.
What if we didn’t actually have to give? What if we were able to help others to help themselves? I personally am a firm believer in teaching a person to help themselves. The old Chinese expression “Give a person a fish you feed them for a day. Teach a person to fish you feed them for a lifetime!”
There is a wonderful way to give to others while they learn how to help themselves and this is through an organization call Kiva. Kiva is a micro credit organization that lends money to entrepreneurs around the world to help them to help themselves and they have made it very practical for you to reach out to these folks. They even have a great gift giving idea that I used last year as Christmas gifts. Many of the parents in our family have kids that really don’t need more toys or more clothes and we were at our wit’s end to give something that was of value. We discussed this idea with the parents who just loved the concept and the kids were able to receive a valuable lesson.
So if you want to help others this year consider Kiva. I have created a lending group and you are welcome to join this group if you like. Here is the link: http://www.kiva.org/team/money_smarts4_kids
So don’t be a scrooge when you could be a philanthropist!
Friday, December 17, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
'Tis The Season For Giving!
‘Tis the season for giving and kids will be looking forward to receiving all sorts of wonderful toys, games and shiny new stuff!
It’s exciting isn’t it?
While you have their full attention this is a perfect time for kids to learn about making choices and the value of money.Help them through the process of making choices from their list that is probably longer than you care to imagine. We know that our kids are being marketed to in so many ways and we know that their wish list is part want, part got to have and sometimes even just plain wishing. It is a stressful time for them as well as for parents and to them it may appear to be too many decisions to make in order to choose from that long list. So help them determine the importance of each gift and take the time to guide them in their choices.
Kids grow fast and they grow tired of some toys and games even faster, so try to evaluate how much “value” they are likely to receive from an item on their wish list and if they are old enough, encourage a good conversation about this to help them learn the process of making good decisions.
Let’s face it. Toys cost money...sometimes lots of money! Be practical. Don’t overdue the Season. After all the fun and excitement is over, normalcy returns life goes on and the bills have to be paid. That too is a lesson kids can learn from.
Have Fun!
It’s exciting isn’t it?
While you have their full attention this is a perfect time for kids to learn about making choices and the value of money.Help them through the process of making choices from their list that is probably longer than you care to imagine. We know that our kids are being marketed to in so many ways and we know that their wish list is part want, part got to have and sometimes even just plain wishing. It is a stressful time for them as well as for parents and to them it may appear to be too many decisions to make in order to choose from that long list. So help them determine the importance of each gift and take the time to guide them in their choices.
Kids grow fast and they grow tired of some toys and games even faster, so try to evaluate how much “value” they are likely to receive from an item on their wish list and if they are old enough, encourage a good conversation about this to help them learn the process of making good decisions.
Let’s face it. Toys cost money...sometimes lots of money! Be practical. Don’t overdue the Season. After all the fun and excitement is over, normalcy returns life goes on and the bills have to be paid. That too is a lesson kids can learn from.
Have Fun!
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
What Are Your Kids Thinking?
Like learning to ride a bike, developing wealth is a skill that is learned, and kids can learn how.
It starts with how we think and this is why scholars of wealth study the wealthy... how they made their fortunes, and then apply those principles.
Kids can do that too. They learn a great deal from merely watching parents and other adults and if they are given the opportunity to rise to a new level, just stand back and watch them soar to new heights!
Wealthy people think quite differently from the rest of us. For one thing they think in terms of abundance rather than from scarcity. They begin with expanding their means rather than just living within them. For many of us, we don’t think beyond the current situation and never consider the possibilities that may await us. Instead, often times we allow circumstances to define us and fall into apathy.
Albert Einstein once said,” A problem cannot be solved at the level of consciousness in which it occurs.” Wealthy people understand the significance of this and study others that went ahead of them so that they can raise their level of consciousness and move forward.
Can kids learn to raise the level of their consciousness? You as a parent want the best for the people you care about and provide the environment for them to do just this. As they express interest in education, skill-building and personal growth, why not introduce kids to a new level?
The wealthy introduce their kids to the skills of developing wealth and for them it is just as important as a good formal education.
Action Step: Ask yourself this question:” What level of financial success do I want for my child?
1) Poverty
2) Middle class
3) The best, not wanting for anything
If you want the best for your child, give them the best opportunities possible and remember, like learning to ride a bike, developing wealth is a skill that is learned.
It starts with how we think and this is why scholars of wealth study the wealthy... how they made their fortunes, and then apply those principles.
Kids can do that too. They learn a great deal from merely watching parents and other adults and if they are given the opportunity to rise to a new level, just stand back and watch them soar to new heights!
Wealthy people think quite differently from the rest of us. For one thing they think in terms of abundance rather than from scarcity. They begin with expanding their means rather than just living within them. For many of us, we don’t think beyond the current situation and never consider the possibilities that may await us. Instead, often times we allow circumstances to define us and fall into apathy.
Albert Einstein once said,” A problem cannot be solved at the level of consciousness in which it occurs.” Wealthy people understand the significance of this and study others that went ahead of them so that they can raise their level of consciousness and move forward.
Can kids learn to raise the level of their consciousness? You as a parent want the best for the people you care about and provide the environment for them to do just this. As they express interest in education, skill-building and personal growth, why not introduce kids to a new level?
The wealthy introduce their kids to the skills of developing wealth and for them it is just as important as a good formal education.
Action Step: Ask yourself this question:” What level of financial success do I want for my child?
1) Poverty
2) Middle class
3) The best, not wanting for anything
If you want the best for your child, give them the best opportunities possible and remember, like learning to ride a bike, developing wealth is a skill that is learned.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Marketing To Kids!
It may be difficult for some kids to save for the future when there is so much "stuff" that they are convinced they must have today.
This is not surprising when you consider the billions of dollars that are spent on youth marketing and just how sophisticated the psychology and neuroscience is.
Kids are being marketed to over the Internet, through cell phones, iPods and video games. There is product placement and brand marketing in schools as well as stealth marketing and viral marketing.
As parents perhaps we are not able to prevent our young ones from being exposed to this bombardment of marketing, but what we can do is to help our kids through the choices that they have.
Take the opportunities to explain the difference between wants and needs. That's a start....but only a start because needs can be subjective.
Help your child through their purchasing decisions by getting down to the "why" they think they need that particular thing. As you help your child think through their purchase, you are helping them to make better choices and better decision.
This is a great skill to learn...a skill that someday may lead to them saving for the future.
This is not surprising when you consider the billions of dollars that are spent on youth marketing and just how sophisticated the psychology and neuroscience is.
Kids are being marketed to over the Internet, through cell phones, iPods and video games. There is product placement and brand marketing in schools as well as stealth marketing and viral marketing.
As parents perhaps we are not able to prevent our young ones from being exposed to this bombardment of marketing, but what we can do is to help our kids through the choices that they have.
Take the opportunities to explain the difference between wants and needs. That's a start....but only a start because needs can be subjective.
Help your child through their purchasing decisions by getting down to the "why" they think they need that particular thing. As you help your child think through their purchase, you are helping them to make better choices and better decision.
This is a great skill to learn...a skill that someday may lead to them saving for the future.
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