Great 'how to tell your kids about redundancy' Hunt

Former_MSE_Lee

Great 'how to tell your kids about redundancy' Hunt

In this difficult economy, redundancies are sadly frequent. Telling the kids can be a daunting task, so what stories and explanations are suitable for different age groups? How do you explain the need to save cash and cut back?

Please give information from your experience that may help others who need to go through it.

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tombo_2

Whilst not an issue just yet, it's not a bad thing to let the kids know that it might be in the future , so that they don't continue to take the family income for granted.Kids get used to a certain level of affluence which they quite understandably consider to be there forever. It's not a bad life lesson to be made aware that it could all go in a matter of weeks, so look after it!!

PasturesNew

I came in, mum said "your dad's lost his job" ... then we had chips for tea.

That was all.

jackyann

tombo wrote: »

Whilst not an issue just yet, it's not a bad thing to let the kids know that it might be in the future , so that they don't continue to take the family income for granted.Kids get used to a certain level of affluence which they quite understandably consider to be there forever. It's not a bad life lesson to be made aware that it could all go in a matter of weeks, so look after it!!

I totally agree. I have just retired from spending my whole working life in family health. Bringing up children to have good mental health means discussing general issues with them, about society and about families in particular.
Children will take their family & immediate circle as the norm. Thinking about how you would deal with any crisis is useful - from learning basic first aid to dealing with major illness, and economic stress. No big discussion, just at some point "what would we manage without"; "what would we do if..."
My parents did this with us, and we did have to deal with my father losing his job and taking a poorly paid one; we knew what to do. I did it with my children and thank goodness, it didn't happen in our family, but it did to friends, and my kids were understanding.
Children can cope with almost anything if their family stays intact and deals with problems together.

MrRedundant

Anyone who this becomes an issue for clearly has spoilt brats who should have been brought up differently.

Nara

My daughter loved daddy loosing his job!! She got to spend lots of time with him, now hes in a new job and working 40 odd hours a week, she turned round the other day and said she didn't like daddy's new job as she didn't see him anymore shes only 4.

JWF1958

MrRedundant wrote: »

Anyone who this becomes an issue for clearly has spoilt brats who should have been brought up differently.

I feel sympathy for any children you may have. My parents didn't have the cash to spoil my sisters and I, and I'm aware I've indulged mine a little because of it. In fact, if I didn't have children, I might not be job-hunting now, after my 2nd redundancy. Who's going to help them through university, driving lessons, general financial safety net?

DewDrop_2

Our children were slightly unsettled by Daddy suddenly not being at work. They were quite young at the time (4, 2 and 1) so we told them that Daddy's job had finished now and he was going to be working very hard at home looking for another one. Unfortunately we had only just had a conversation the previous week about how Daddy working paid for our house and food and holidays! (after them moaning about why he didn't take them to school!) Which in hindsight was unhelpful because the eldest was quite worried about that, but we reassured him that we had enough money for the time being.

Tough as it all has been, we have had some amazing family time as a result - quite precious really.

MrRedundant

JWF1958 wrote: »

I feel sympathy for any children you may have. My parents didn't have the cash to spoil my sisters and I, and I'm aware I've indulged mine a little because of it. In fact, if I didn't have children, I might not be job-hunting now, after my 2nd redundancy. Who's going to help them through university, driving lessons, general financial safety net?

It's called work. I think they will find that if they work part time whilst at school and university and then full time after education they will have plenty of money for all of these.

Of course their friends might be spoilt brats whose dads buy them cars and pay for their lifestyle but your children will quickly see these people for the worthless humans they are.

Learning to work for what you want is a strong human trait and the sooner they see that the better. Nothing worse than graduates who have never done a days work in their life who then come into the workplace and think they are superior.

troubrs

My 4 year old at the time I was made redundant, came down with his moneybox and proceeded to give me all £2 of his 'savings'!
Mine loved the fact they didn't have to go to after school club any more (& now resent having to go again as I'm back at work!), they liked some of the advantages such as Mummy being able to pick them up from school every day! But when they both wanted DSi's they had to sort out old toys and things they didn't want any more for me to sell on e-bay (& we did a car boot sale), plus they asked for money for their birthdays - it made them appreciate the value of things as it took them 7 months to raise the money!

redpete

"I'm very sorry Olivia but Daddy's lost his job and we can't afford you any more. Mummy's packed a suitcase and we are taking you to your new family tonight.".

Or

"Guess what, Dad's been made redundant. We'll have to cut down on our spending for a bit until things get sorted."