Have you ever heard Momma say, “No, we can’t afford that. You know, money doesn’t grow on trees!” If so, most of the time we heard this right after we asked for something that we “just HAD TO HAVE!” Children don’t have a good sense of what money is – they just know what it does! Money is an interesting thing. What is “A LOT” to some may be “nothing” to others. Teaching children the value of money is tough. Of course, whoever came up with the idea of making a ten cent dime SMALLER than a five cent nickel never had a four year old around.
I believe that we’ve raised a “spoiled” generation that “wants what they want and they want it now.” Saving money in a jar until you’ve got enough to go buy that special something is a thing of the past. That’s a shame, isn’t it? There is something about saving and dreaming and planning that makes getting something you want so much better. We’ve deprived our children of that joy and satisfaction. We as adults aren’t much better than children. We rarely put off purchasing what we want, whether we have the cash to pay for it or not. In fact, I rarely have actual cash in my purse anymore.
No one likes being told, “No – you can’t have that right now.” But, money really doesn’t grow on trees! Of course, kids today think money comes out of a wall! God Bless us all! Courtney