Trouble With Money...

once you put it in the bank, you don't have it around to count or use!!!

The kids really like that Berenstain Bears book - Trouble with Money... but thankfully we haven't had much trouble yet... although they did just experience something monumental last week... they opened their first bank accounts! WOW! One of our friends had given them each a 'bunny bank' as a Chinese New Year present (Year of the Rabbit) and they've been collecting coins for having dry diapers. Heck, I figured the more dry diapers the less I was spending at the supermarket, right... that money went back into their pockets or should I say bunnies. Anyway, Hunter had been saving up to buy a kick stand for his bike... and he actually made it to his goal - over $18!!! But since Helena's new bike had a kick stand we just moved it over for him (he doesn't know that, plus her bike has training wheels so it doesn't even miss the kick stand, right) and let him continue to save his coins.

Finally, we decided that it was time to invest those coins and move on to a new way of earning, but first a lesson in tithing! We had mentioned the concept to Hunter once or twice before this, and of course he was a bit anti giving his money away. But we knew we had to teach them this principle... so I went back to the first mention of the 'tenth' back in Genesis 14 when Abram rescued Lot and met up with Melchizedek the King of Salem, priest to the God Most High (Gen 14:18). After Melchizedek blessed Abram, Abram gave him a tenth of everything.... so I read this passage to the kids and we acted it out. First we gathered 10 of a bunch of items ranging from stuffed animals, legos and real coins to kiwi fruit and canned veggies. Then Hunter was the priest and Helena was Abram and we took one from each bundle of ten to show how we give back to God from what is already his and then we still get to keep 9!!! So it was a great exercise in counting as well as the biblical principle.

After they had a good go with the trial run, we opened up their bunnies and lined up the coins in rows of 10 on a blank sheet of paper. Once our lines were complete, we took one coin from each row and put it in a plastic bag to take to church - then surveyed how much we had left!!! It didn't seem so hard when they saw how much they had compared to what was in the baggie. Hmmm, a life lesson for me too?

After we got the tithe sorted, I took the kids to the bank where they were so well behaved while I filled in the paperwork. They got their little passbooks and new 'bunnies' which are actually elephants... and we left the bank with Hunter saying - "Wait, I want my money again."... sorry, buddy... we'll have to work on a new earning system and a new goal!

 Here they are in the car showing off their bunnies!

There's a really cool counting machine that sorts and counts at the same time... then you get a receipt with the amount to take to the teller who will add it to your account! Very cool!!!

Hunter had $21.60 to put in the bank... so that's less his tithe! Not bad for 40c per day of dry diapers!

And now, he's totally diaper free and I haven't had to wash a wet bed in weeks!!! WOOHOO!!!

Helena had $9 at the end of the experience, but hey, you gotta start somewhere!

Though I am interested in what other things you reward your children with money for...