Raise Cash-smart Kids, Not Con Artists

Are you teaching your kids to be bums?

Before you blurt out “of course not!” just pause for a moment and ask yourself this question.

“Do my kids have any way to get money apart from asking someone else for it?”

If not, then you are teaching them to beg for money.

I’ll bet they are pretty darn good at it by now. If you have a kid who is 10 or so, and their only income stream comes from begging, they will be four-star bums already. I guarantee it. They will know every emotional button on every nearby adult who can possibly be induced to part with a few readies.

Most will have learned to be subtle bums – rather than asking for cash, they will just talk about the things they “wish they had”. They may move up into “fear of loss” tactics, you know, the one where “everyone else has one and people will think I am a loser if I don’t …”

Status. We parents often fall for that one.

If not status, they might be playing the guilt card on you. Or the “fairness” card. Believe you me, by the time they get to double digits they will be playing with a full deck of emotional manipulation cards!

Kids have a massive amount of creative energy, and they will put that energy into whatever avenues they have for getting what they want.

It is up to you, the parent, to make sure being bums is not their only avenue.

It takes a bit of thought in the beginning to set up earning opportunities for kids too young to have regular jobs, but the time and effort are very well worth it.

The moment kids get a whiff of the notion that they can get money from outside the family through their own efforts, by providing something of value, they will be off and running!

Make begging a losing proposition for your kids, by resolving never again to give in to it. Instead, help your child to develop a plan for earning the money to buy the things they want. You won’t believe the difference this simple shift can make.

If you have any doubts remaining, check out one of the fair traders who has entered the Cash-Smart Kids video competition recently.

Not only does this girl earn her own money, she gives to charity and buys her own school uniforms! It just does to show that raising fair traders can pay off even earlier than you expect!