Teaching kids the value of money

rushnowt

Spendless wrote:

Do you watch Little Angeels on BBC3 Rush?

At the end of the last series - it said they were going to do a series on teenagers.

It hasn't been on yet - but when it is it might give you some ideas you haven't thought of.

Hiya Spendless

I do watch the series yes and find it quiet useful at times, fortunately (touch wood) my other 4 dont give me many problems at all and do tend to be very well behaved.

I look forward to the teenager series though, im sure it will be equally good veiwing.

Although I think sending her to boot camp would be a better alternative LOL, i live in hope

elona

Have you thought of contacting tv companies with the idea for a British Brat camp and "volunteering " her?

Or else contacting "Little angels " and volunteering her for that.

She would probably like the idea of being on telly and is probably quite convinced that her behaviour is acceptable at present and needs something to shake her up.

Is she too young to enrol for the army? ( not entirely a joke)

rushnowt

Hiya elona,

I have seriously thought about that, and if she would do it i think it would probably do her good, but as you rightly say she feels her behaviour is not a problem and its just us "pecking her head" as she calls it.

I have contacted our local MP and wrote to parliment to ask if theres any possibility off these camps in Britain with a list of dozens of other parents I have spoken to that wish this was available, unfortunately though due to the fact that kids have rights in this country this is not a possibility, is the bottom line of a very nice reply from them

The army sounds promising too, but she'd never go for that idea either, can i just enrol her anyway and let them come for her LOL,

elona

Rushnowt

This is going to sound crazy but could you give her a smile a big hug and tell her you love her and you hate it when you both seem to rub each other up the wrong way?

Give it a few days when you treat her like a loving and responsible daughter of whom you are proud! If nothing else it will surprise her! Good luck:)

rushnowt

Hiya elona

No it doesnt sound crazy at all, its what ive been trying to do for months, she's just not ready at the moment, and all i can do is wait and be there the moment she is.

I'm sure theres a lot of stuff that she really needs to deal with and she just doesnt feel that im the one to help her with that, we had a chat last night and she's agreed for me to make her an appointment at the doctors and maybe he will refer her for some councelling. Ive made an appointment for her for tomorrow morning, so fingers crossed we may get somewhere with this

elona

Rushnowt


It sounds as if the problem she is having is largely due to her perceptions that everything is "enemy action" so to speak - possibly a cognitively based therapy would help.

Would she be likely to read a self help book from the library or would this be seen as "getting at her"?

rushnowt

Hi elona

You have hit the nail right on the head, thats exactly her perseption of things at the moment.

I'm hoping that since she is at least opening up a little to me at the moment that I will be able to broach this subject and possibly interest her in reading something on those lines, I just dont want to push to much to soon and cause more conflict

She has been to see the doctor today and he has referred her to the councellor, we just have to wait for an appointment now, so hopefully things will improve and at least we are on the right track now

rchddap1

Sounds like a very nasty problem which isn't going to be fixed easily. Your main problem is stopping other's from giving her what she asks for. One thought that hasn't been mentioned though is using a 'pawn brokers' approach. That is, if she wants you to buy her some stuff first she has to give you some of hers. After you come to an arrangement about how much it is worth of course. She only gets it back after she pays the money back. But again, that's not much use if grandma will then buy her a replacement the very next day.

Of course then you have the other 'unmentionable' course of action of throwing her out and letting her fend for herself. Not exactly a nice thing to do, but if nothing else works and she is causing other's misery at home something to consider as a last resort perhaps.

My 15 year old teenage stepdaughter at the moment is making her dad and I very proud where money is concerned. She doesn't live with us, but every 2 weeks we give her £10 pocket money. Every time she gets it she saves it so that she can spend it on a train fare to see her boyfriend. She doesn't really get any more cash that what we give her, so she is doing fantastically well. She has realised that there is more important things than 'stuff' on which to spend her money. Instead of buying clothes, music etc... she is spending it on what she now thinks of an essential purchase ... ie travel to see her boyfriend.

steveM100

I've just finished listening to a 'Talking Book' called RICH DAD / POOR DAD (its also available in Paperback). Its got some really clear and simple ideas and explainations on how to explain to kids (and adults) how to think about money in a completely different way to the norm.

some of the tracks on the first CD are even suitable to have my nine year old listen to directly.....

im_a_lady

i have always had a problem with my eldest son's messiness. he is 7 and i've never given him regular pocket money cos i didn't think he appreciated it. a couple of weeks ago i gave him a fiver before he went for a sleepover at a friends. his face lit up and i said to him there's more where that came from if you remember to put your washing in the basket and keep your room nice. since then he's been a different little boy and he buys us all sweets and saves some of his money too. it's great i've never had so many liquorice allsorts mmm firemans hoses-yum. i am very proud of him-but if he doesn't help he doesn't get. so far no problems tho