Help Kids to Save with a Fun Fund

As adults, we often think of saving as something necessary and the responsible thing to do. We save up for things such as a new furnace or braces for one of the kids. Once in a while we will also save for something fun, such as a family vacation, but we often go about it with our usual boring adult selves–we plan, we save, we move money to a vacation account. These techniques, the ones we have learned over the years and now practice, however, don’t usually work with kids. For them, saving has to be visual and fun. Help … Continue reading

How Your Teen Can Earn Money This Summer

With the summer job market being tight this year, your teens may have to come up with some unconventional ways to earn some money this summer. Here are some ideas for them to try. Host a Camp I know a couple of teens who created a thriving business hosting a camp in conjunction with the local ice rink. Parents can drop their kids off for fun and games with the hosts when they aren’t on the ice skating. Teens can check with local gymnastics programs, pools, bowling alleys and other places where a little extra child care would be welcome. … Continue reading

Moms Stink at Money Matters

Hey, I’m just the messenger. Personally, I think most moms rock at finances, but according to the gurus at LearnVest (a personal finance website for women), most women with kids fall short when it comes to making wise financial decisions. And why do the brainiacs at LearnVest think moms stink when it comes to handling money? We’re. Too. Nice. Apparently, sugar and spice and everything nice is a very bad combo when it comes to money. LearnVest experts claim that because moms are “too nice” and “too nurturing” they end of falling into an abyss of money problems. Competition is … Continue reading

Summer Cash for Kids

What’s that saying: Kids and their money are soon parted? Okay, maybe it’s a fool and his cash, but you get the idea. My second grader would rather have her eyelashes yanked out than willingly take on extra chores around the house. However, the kid has expensive taste and just recently discovered that money does not grow on trees, or in Mommy’s wallet. Enter the summer job discussion. While my 7-year-old won’t be restocking shelves at Piggly Wiggly this summer, there are a slew of other money-making opportunities for her to take advantage of right here at home. If you … Continue reading

Jack’s Helping Hand Reaches Out to Offer Support

What does your child play with? It isn’t easy to find engaging, and appropriate, toys for kids with certain kinds of special needs. Organizations like Jack’s Helping Hand are making things a bit easier for parents, by creating a toy lending library. This is just one of the ways that Jack’s Helping Hand can offer assistance to parents of kids who have special needs. Jack’s Helping Hand is an organization that was created by Paul and Bridget Ready, in memory of their son, Jack. He had a rare form of brain cancer, and lived to be three years old. He … Continue reading

Teaching Kids about Money

Do you give your child an allowance? Do they know how to save? Do they know how to earn? Money is one of those necessary evils of life so it is important that you teach your child the basics while they are young. Most kids get a little money here and there, whether it is from a weekly allowance or money from the tooth fairy, but do they know what to do with it? What do they really need to know about money and how do you teach it when you hardly have any money yourself? Here are a few … Continue reading

Helping Kids Earn Money

With Christmas looming, my 7-year-old daughter’s gift wish list seems to grow by the day. She’s been combing through toy catalogs since October and has dog-eared so many pages I’m afraid that Santa won’t be able to deliver all the goods. In fact, I know Santa won’t be bringing half of the things on her mile-long list. Without blowing her belief in the big guy, I have been gently reminding her that if (more like, when) Santa doesn’t grant all of her wishes, she still has the opportunity to get them by paying for them herself. Currently, she earns a … Continue reading

The A B C’s of Money – Part 1

Money has a language all its own. By learning about the words that are associated with money and financial matters, you can take a step towards increasing your financial literacy. Here are a few money words to get you started. An adjustable rate mortgage, also known as an ARM, is something that you want to make absolutely sure you want before you get it. With an ARM, the interest rate on your mortgage starts out low. This can help people qualify for ARMs more easily than for fixed rate mortgages. However, the catch is that at the end of a … Continue reading

Put the Fun in Fundraising for Kids

Each year, our school-aged children typically fundraise for something for themselves, such as a class trip or individual prizes. This year, consider teaching your children how fundraising can be about helping someone else. There are plenty of charities that would love your help and the benefits for your child are endless. Ways to Raise Money You can help enrich the life of a child with a terminal or life-altering condition by having your child’s school collect change. Each class can compete to see who raises the most money and the winning class can receive a pizza party as a thank … Continue reading

Book Review: All About Adoption:How Families Are Made and How Kids Feel About It

All About Adoption: How Families Are Made and How Kids Feel About It is a book from Magination Press, which specializes in titles helping children understand tough situations or deal with feelings. (Magination Press is also the publisher of Maybe Days, a Book about Foster Care.) All About Adoption authors Marc Nemiroff and Jane Annunziata are both clinical psychologists specializing in families and children. All About Adoption starts out by saying “there are lots of different ways to have a baby. ..some parents have one baby..and some parents have two or three babies all at once. “Babies grow inside a … Continue reading