Thursday, July 29, 2010

Show me the Money!!!

Money and teens go hand-n-hand, whether I'm ready for it or not. The desire for it, the "need" for it, the joy in having it. I remember being 14 and working at camp for a summer, and feeling so empowered at the end of my six weeks, spending my hard-earned money on school clothes. Well, the desire-need-joy for money has hit my two oldest, square in the face.

Mr. Smarty Pants is almost five years older than Girly Girl. He holds a job at the ice cream shop down the street. He also has been helping his uncle do demolition at their house, and he has been helping the DiSH with garage doors and roofs too. So he's becoming more and more wealthy as each week passes. Dreams of computers and computer parts are becoming a reachable reality!

Girly Girl has had a case of the "that's-not-fair!" every time big brother makes a buck. As I type, they are sitting here in the living room, unaware that I am blogging about their money woes, comparing how much they each have. It's beginning to get really old.

GG has worked for two days, selling blueberries on the front lawn. My blueberries. But I digress. She has made, in two days, $22! I am proud of her hard work, setting up, making signs, sitting out there, patiently waiting for customers. One lady up the road even had her husband drop off empty quart containers, and asked us to deliver them. So we did, and she paid GG a delivery fee. In 10 minutes, she had made $12. Not bad!

I decided to walk down to the Whippy Dairy Freeze (not what it's really called, but Dad likes to tease Mr. SP---sorry SP!) to buy an ice cream cone from our favorite ice cream man. When I mentioned it to GG, she said, "do I have to buy my own?" WHAT? Seriously? I was, needless to say, a little disappointed. She raced on to explain that she was trying to save for a used ipod from a friend. Oh. I caved, and I bought her a small $1 soft cone. But on our walk, we talked about tithing.

Mr. SP has always, since being a little boy, been faithful with tithing, never wishing he didn't have to give God back His share. Once, when he was about 7, he didn't want to pick up a penny he saw on the sidewalk because he didn't know how to pay tithe on 1cent. Amazing. I am so proud.

GG is like I was though. I don't want to make her sound bad, but she hasn't always loved the idea of giving "her" money away. We talked about how it isn't our money, that 10%. I told her to look at the odd jobs she has been blessed with so far this summer: Kitty-sitting for some friends at $5 a day; selling blueberries; babysitting her cousins for my sister. She has been able to buy clothes and other things that she has wanted. After some time, she told me she hadn't thought about it that way, and knew in her heart that tithing was something she should do, with a thankful heart. Again, I am so proud. :)

I know the odd jobs quest isn't over for GG, and that Mr. SP will continue to roll in the dough too. :) So now I am trying to make sure we have conversations about debt, saving, deals, tithing, all that good stuff. GG wanted to buy her friend's ipod on credit, paying her as she earned it. I wanted to say really fast, 'NO!" don't start the credit thing! But I know with her, I have to tread softly, and explain things, ultimately giving her a choice, while holding my breath she makes the one I know is right for her. Thankfully, she decided to keep saving and buy one online "with dad's help." I smile.

The almighty dollar. And the everyday-parenting of the almighty mother!!!
Life while I'm At Home!

1 comment:

I'm at Home, so stop and say Hi!

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails