Day 135 - Teach My Kids The Value Of A Dollar

My son has started to referee soccer games on the weekends. The pay is pretty good for a 13 year old. He gets $12/game which is $12/hour. Not bad! He can sign up for as many games as he wants on the weekends. Today it dawned on him that he could easily make $100 in a weekend doing something he loves. He is motivated and ready to work. He understands that the money he earns is his, that he will be using it for movies, clothing beyond what we will buy and anything else he wants. He gets it.

My daughter wants to earn her money as well. She is babysitter certified and has made some money this month. She wants to have cash on hand, as she likes to go to the mall on the weekends with friends. We do not just give her money to burn, so often times she is there with no more than $10. She is starting to understand that if she wants to spend, she has to earn.

I think they are both learning the value of money and hard work. While we have not been great when it comes to allowance, we have made them buy things with their own money over the years for things we do not always think they need. I know they are learning because when that happens they are happy, almost proud to buy these things themselves. I am hoping this summer they have opportunity to really earn some money that they can use to help contribute to those back to school wardrobes they will be wanting. It will mean so much more to them if it is their own.