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Hello all
Just posting a link to a website called QuidzIn. The aim of the organisation is to help parents talk to their children about money. There are courses you can go on, but on the website there are various quizzes that you/ the children might enjoy. Go to the website and click on the tabs that say "parents" or "teens" or "children"
Strangely enough I had a 'discussion' with my son last night concerning money, I made the mistake of telling him home much I get as a single parent on benefits, but I told him in the light of someone who is all grown up and has been managing their money and bills and weekly expenditure for some time, his eyes lit up and he started going on about all the stuff I should buy, mainly computer games and nice things to eat. I then spent the next fifteen odd minutes fruitlessly explaining about gas and electricity and water and food while his eyes glazed over and he got all restless and fidgety.
He started up his wish list again this morning on the way to school so it doesn't look like any of it sank, in apart from the fact that he was full of ideas about how to save money, like turning all the electricity off and the gas and just eating cheap sweets.
:)
Sometimes I forget that they don't see the world through my eyes, maybe I should make him spend a few minutes on this site you mention.
It is very difficult at a young age to explain about money etc. I always thought C had a good concept of it, but how wrong I was! He's watched me getting my IS and is overwhelmed to see the amount, then I tell him to watch it carefully as it dwindles away once the bills are paid, food bought etc. It obviously still hadn't sunk in though as he asks me why he can't have such and such (another fad that his friends have got)
Very difficult indeed, and at times heartbreaking, and even soul destroying
Yes it is.
The only thing I think helps is when they have their own little bit of money to control. If you are on a lower income then it is not always possible to give your children pocket money, however. My youngest has now got this job so he will be into a completely new ballgame, but for the last few years he has had a small weekly allowance, and this had to cover activities such as boxing as well. That meant he had to choose, in the same way we grown ups have to choose.
But when they are younger, they don't understand and I suppose we should not expect them to. I think I went on about money too much when I was first a single parent because my eldest had the opportunity to go on a trip and I found the letter weeks later and he said I knew there was no point in asking because you always say we can't afford it. They used to find it hard to understand why "Santa" left better presents at everyone else's house so I had to say that the parents had to send Santa the money for the gifts. One thing that helped me when I saw all the things their friends had was when I realised that it wasn't that the friends parents were rich, it was that they had some very heavily-used credit cards.
Ive just recently started giving them £2.50 each on a Saturday morning so they are beginning to understand, that's where my sons interest in money has just come from as he wants to know why he only gets £2.50 after discovering how far it's doesn't go to getting him all the sweets and toys from the local charity shop that he wants.
The £2.50 each is actually cheaper than me getting them a few things from the charity shop and some sweets every Saturday morning : )
But I'm not telling them that.
They have already started harping on with why can't we have five pounds, which is kind of where yesterdays conversation came from.
They haven't started going on about what other people have yet, not in a why cant I have it way anyway.
There's still time, lol....
Maybe you could explain to your son that that is exactly how YOU feel, you wonder each week why you don't get more. And that dads and mums have to put the money away for the bills first and then see what is left (as far as the electricity goes, he would not like it without the computer!) It's a difficult process and let's face it, how many adults so we know that haven't got the hang of it yet (
) so anything the children can understand is a good thing.
Eldest hid a letter about a trip to Cardiff last year - same reason as Louise's son, as he figured I couldn't afford it. I broke my heart over that, as it was part of his art course.
He's not asking for money any more, and is buying his own lunch at college, so I know, as he only has one shift a week, he can't save money - so I'm still paying for his driving lesson.
Yes, it is sad not only when they can't have things but when they KNOW they can't.
How is he getting on with his driving?
His driving is possibly at a plateau, as there's no practising in between. I can take him to a private industrial estate, and he gets to manouver and gets to go around a roundabout... No insurance though, so there's no more than that for him.
He understands, I know, but he's dying to get going. It will be about £1200 to add him to my insurance.
I tell C that I have to send Santa some money too Louise. I think C is going to grow up a tight wad, as he doesn't want to spend any of his birthday money, telling me he is saving it. Mmmmm, wish I could save like him, hehe
Really? Wow! That is if the car stays in your name and he is a named driver only? I did that with eldest; my own insurance cost £25 a month at the time. With him added, it was £105 so that is an extra £1000 I suppose. He was working a lot of hours by then, though, so he paid the extra every month.
Maybe it is better for your boy to stay at this level until there is the financial prospect of getting the insurance?
Sadly, yes.
It would be so helpful though if there was a second driver here. Then again, on the days I find it hard to get going, I'm always glad that there are these things that I have to do - gets me moving, and once I'm moving, its not so bad!
A friend of his has passed his driving test - but no car, as his mum and dad couldn't afford the insurance. Oldest thinks that is actually worse than being in his situation! The lad does (did - gone to uni now) live on a farm, so was able to drive around the fields to practice changing gears.
I always told me lot that Santa had a budget, as he had to buy so much stuff in shops now as they were too complicated for the elves to make.
I think by now they may know that I was exaggerating slightly.
Those poor elves!
I do miss the "hook, line and sinker" look of wonderment on their faces when I used to tell them these things.
And I say I don't lie. Actually, I might have been pretty good at it! (Quick, duck! I can see a Christmas robin on my wall!!)
That robin is going to "christen" you one of these days!
My eldest always used to ask how the Tooth Fairy knew he had lost a tooth and I explained that she had a message on her computer about everyone who had lost a tooth that day.
By the way I agree with your son: how frustrating to have passed the driving test and not to be able to drive!
Friend of C's, a year younger, was walking home with us the other day and C was telling him that we'd seen Santa on his sleigh the night before. Friend announced that really Santa didn't exist, (his parents have told the truth). C was horrified, and quickly told his friend to take his statement back, saying 'seriously G, if you don't, then you really won't get any presents in your sack'. Of course I backed C up, and the little fella kept repeating, 'i'm sorry, i'm sorry, of course I know there's a Santa'.
And adults don't lie? hehehe
Shame there weren't any Christmas robins about 
That would have sorted it.
This has made me giggle! I clearly remember telling my Mum that I was going to ask Santa for a real magic wand, I felt like I'd cracked some sort of code, you could have real magic because Santa could give it to you. My poor mum I can't remember what she said.
My crafty ten year old announced in a forlorn voice that the toothfairy had forgotton about him and produced a small tooth during dinner this week, he said it had been under his pillow for ages and she hadn't come. Little monster guessed that the toothfairy wasn't real about two years ago but knew that in front of his younger siblings there would have to be a song and dance about how she must missed it/been busy etc with the end result that the following morning he had the required pound.
HelenT
A POUND! Im being had. my kids expect two pounds.
Oh well maybe it is the cost of living in your neck of the woods....
My lot had 50p
Youngest also discovered recently that he has reached the age where the tooth fairy doesn't seem to bothered to deliver the 50p...
If it falls out at home, it is £1 from toothfairy, and 50p from me. If it happens at school C gets £2!!!! His schoolchum apparantely told the kids you get more 
I just love other children's parents, hehe
Don't you feel sorry for my lot??
Oh yes, but then again, you have four to fork out for, so..........
No
xx
It was mostly only 50p in this house, although youngest's last few did reach the dizzy heights of £1. In the olden days when the tooth fairy came to me I used to get a sixpence (worth two and a half pence now)
Me too Louise. Talking of old money, does anyone know if old coins are worth anything? Do they have to be in mint condition?
Think it is fairly unlikely they will be valuable, why don't you have a look on ebay?
Brian May of Queen uses one of them as a plectrum, or he used to anyway I once read, not that I like queen, just saying : )
I bet it is a gold sovereign, Bubblegum, or maybe a ducat
I'd never heard of a ducat before, so that must be my new thing for the day : )
He built his own guitar, that sort of signature red thing he plays from a piece of wood that was the mantle piece in his house when he was a kid, I think.
I think that their Live Aid performance was amazing, did you watch that documentary on Live Aid that was on BBC a few months ago, it was good.
No but I am so old that I watched the original concert! I love/loved Queen.
Read about ducats here
I've got the original concert on videos. We spent the day taping it! Queen were absolutely amazing.
That sounds interesting Louise, shall check it out later.
x