I really really want to be........mortgage free!

AlexLK

I believe schools have a responsibility to do their best for each child. I've more than "filled in the gaps" by getting my son to beyond Reception level in each subject. I continue to do 4 hours of Saturday "school" with my son and teach each subject in greater detail than covered within the school environment. My wife and I take him on educational trips related to the curriculum he is studying at school, yet it seems the school hardly care when he takes in something (always related to the curriculum) for "show and tell" and would rather look at some silly girl's latest Barbie doll. My son studies two instruments and is working towards Grade 2 on violin and is taking his Grade 1 piano in a few weeks. How this cannot be classed as "Gifted and Talented" when a girl in his class who happens to be marginally above average in Maths is I do not know. :mad:

Anyhow, it sounds like you are doing really well on the money front and I'm glad to hear the course is going well and you're applying for voluntary work (related, I presume).

ourcornercottage

Don't worry with all that extra work he will be the best he can be. That's all you want for them isn't it. Miniocc took in a fossil last week and they all loved it. Some kids aged 4 do only want to look at dolls though, there's nothing wrong with that they're just maturing at different speeds. 4/5 is still very young

AlexLK

ourcornercottage wrote: »

Don't worry with all that extra work he will be the best he can be. That's all you want for them isn't it. Miniocc took in a fossil last week and they all loved it. Some kids aged 4 do only want to look at dolls though, there's nothing wrong with that they're just maturing at different speeds. 4/5 is still very young

Thanks, OOC.

I want my son to be happy and do the best he can. Of course, he too likes playing with lots of different toys. I can completely understand the children wanting to see a doll or stuffed animal (son loves those and has far too many) but a teacher seemingly giving more time to children bringing in such items seems wrong to me. The culture amongst parents at my son's school isn't particularly academic and from the parents I've spoken to most haven't been to university. I suppose it greatly frustrates me as I see a school as a place of learning, not somewhere one goes to play.

Glad they all liked the fossil. My son's class has Reception, Year 1 and Year 2, so most are older than my son. I absolutely understand they mature at different rates, in some areas my son is "behind" for his age.

ourcornercottage

You seem to have a grip on things, try and look at the positives the school offers and you continue with the academic stuff. Minis school is the opposite a real focus on the academic stuff learning at desks which may well suit your son, for my sons style of learning that doesn't suit. I do understand that they really can't suit all the learners no matter how hard they try. Like I said previously I don't blame them I just fill the gaps and recognise what they do offer him in a school setting. It's just a slight shift of focus from where you are and you can see the school through different eyes and filling the gaps yourself (which you already are).

Happy Mother's Day to all the mums and the thousands of dads doing a mummy role too on top of their daddy roles as single parents deserve 2 days in my opinion

I've been doing a bit of fun learning with mini off the 2,5 and 10 times table involving colouring frogs done the washing up, made breakfast and cups of tea. Oh it is Mother's Day by the way. I got 2 lovely home made cards from mini which I love. I also got some chocolates (brought). Very happy with that. Am now off to football tournament and pizza express later

Should be very little spent today BF did the lotto yesterday (it's s long story we don't ever do it unless the person in front of us in the queue gets one. Did it once and it's stuck, we end up buying tickets a couple of times a year) and how he had won £25 and is giving it to mini to put in the bank.

Have been thinking about asking the school to teach financial education in class too. How do you think that will go down, what should I suggest they include? (primary level). I might offer to put some info together. Maybe Martin Lewis could start a campaign like Jamie Oliver did on school dinners.

newgirly

Martin has a guide for teenagers whch you can print off already (nothing for younger ones as far as know) it's very good

Ali-OK

DS's school offer a termly elective on Personal Finance and he enjoyed it (at age 14). Martin had a retweet on his Tw!tter account recently about a primary school doing similar as part of their Maths in Scotland - might be worth having a look at that to make suggestions to Mini's school.

That's a good way to irregularly play Lotto. I buy one - if I remember - when in another town as that's the few times I've won anything! Won £110 a few weeks after DS was born visiting rellies like that

ourcornercottage

I'm going to speak with the school about it, I'm starting on Miniocc anyhow

Football tournament was great for us except one of the kids kicked the ball on the BFs face so it's emergency dentists tomorrow and one of the teams set of parents were terribly behaved. 5 grown men screaming at a bunch of 6/7 year olds. Mini heard swear words from them I complained to the referee st the time and will complain to the fa too. This team is really the best in the league but it's no fun for the kids they are scared to make s mistake. Not my idea of under 7's football, Mini played really well, really got stuck in and played very fairly. Scored 2 goals.

AlexLK

Thanks, OOC. There are some good things about my son's school. Mrs K thinks I get too involved and shouldn't spend so much time analysing what they do there.

Sounds like you've had a good Mother's day. My son made a card for Mrs K at school, which I hadn't checked as the envelope was stuck down (been worried about this since Thursday) but he'd done well.

I can't say I've ever played the lottery, nor do I see the attraction in doing so.

As for financial education in schools, it's on the NC for secondary schools but isn't covered at primary IIRC. Personally, I'm not sure what could be taught about personal finance before 10-11 years old.

ourcornercottage

We're not lottery players with the exception of if the person in front of us in the queue has one we do. I started it but BF has also done it. I have no idea why it's a compulsion. I don't really like gambling in any form tbh.

I really think you are never to young to start to learn about finance. I think schools miss this and also personal wellbeing at a young age. Is it not true that bad financial decisions and mental fragility often go hand in hand and are major problems for most of the population at one time in their life. I just can't believe these things I think of as so important are missed completely whilst children are at an age when they take so much in.

Saying that I did try to explain how banks worked to Miniocc who was livid that the bank would loan his money that he had saved to someone else. I think he imagined it was all piled up in some massive vault in the style of gringotts! He was so cross and said he would rather keep his savings in his purse! A little more explanation may well be needed!

AlexLK

You sometimes make me wonder if I'm a bad father and will fail to teach my son how to cope with life. Unfortunately, I can't cope with it myself so I've no idea how to teach such skills to somebody else. Currently my son is happy, apart from sometimes at school but many people say he's like me and looks up to me (yes, scary thought, I know). I hope as he gets older he'll be more like my wife and think I'm someone he would do well not to admire in any way.

Really not sure when pocket money should be introduced to son, to be honest. Although I'll be interested to see what he does with it!

:rotfl: Re. explaining banks to your son!