The Dog Ate My Shoe

One week ago my husband took my oldest son to buy brand new running shoes. My son has been getting up every morning and walking/running one mile. We felt it was time he got some new shoes.

The morning dew is heavy right now and we walk in a field, so I set up a rack for us to hang our shoes to dry instead of dragging in a bunch of wet grass and dirt. Friday afternoon I realized one of my son’s shoes was missing. His brother found it in the corner of the garden – unsalvageable.

My son was devastated. ‘Do you know how much those shoes cost?’ I assured him that I did know how much and that I also was fine with him getting another pair of shoes. Things happen in life and I’m not going to fret because they happen.

It was only a while later, when I was retelling the story that I realized how much my eleven year old comprehended the value of the dollar. He wasn’t worried about whether we could AFFORD another pair. He was concerned that the money that had been spent had gone to waste.

There is no reason that children should worry about money – even if mom and dad don’t have any. But they should learn to appreciate the cost of things.

1. Set up a system that lets them pay for things on their own.

2. Compare prices at different stores and compare the quality of the same (or similar items) at the different stores.

3. Visit a second hand store or a thrift store AFTER a retail store.

Just a few simple steps could be the key to helping your children learn the value of the dollar (and maybe even awakening a whole new you).