Teach our children from small to be responsible for their financesIt is undoubtedly something very valuable that we can inherit as parents. That they know from an early age to manage money and understand the value of things, will be for them one of the best life lessons we can provide.
But at what age should we start teaching our children about money? A mother has caused controversy in social networks, sharing that she charges her five-year-old daughter a monthly rent for living at home.
The publication
Essence Evans is the mother of a five-year-old girl, and recently posted a message in her personal account saying: “I HAVE MY FIVE-YEAR DAUGHTER PAY RENTAL”, Thus in capital letters. Of course it is something that catches our attention, right?
Perhaps if we only stay with that phrase, we can get confused and react instinctively. But how do you charge the rent to your daughter of only five years? It is not something very common or that all parents usually do, so She explains below how it works to “pay the rent”.
In her post, she explains that he gives his daughter seven dollars a month and that of those seven dollars, two are for her to use as she wishes (buy something or save them) and the remaining five dollars are for rent, divided in this way: one for rent, one for water, one for electricity, one for cable television and one for food.
And what about those five dollars that makes your daughter pay as rent? He deposits them in a secret savings account for his daughter, which will be delivered when you turn 18 and have a fund if you wish to become independent at that age.
She also explains, that with his strategy he will not only give his daughter a savings, but also since he was little he prepares her for the real world. In the end, he jokes that when your daughter realizes what services are really worth, she will appreciate the huge discount her mother made.
Reactions for and against
Since its publication, Essence's message has gone viral, receiving more than 166,000 reactions on Facebook, shared more than 311,000 times and received thousands of comments with opposing opinions.
Some people applaud your creative way of starting to teach your daughter about money management, as well as the economic responsibilities we have when we become adults.
On the contrary, other people consider that what he is doing is something too extreme and is not letting his daughter be "simply a girl", because since childhood she is making her have responsibilities that do not correspond to her age.
The importance of teaching the value of money
I share my personal experience: my parents never talked to me about money. Never. I am not a person who has become accustomed to saving or keeping a strict control of expenses. Come on, I'm not an irresponsible nor do I "lose" money, but definitely that of managing my finances very well, I am not given.
Personally, I think that some small economic crises that I have been through could have been avoided if I had received some kind of money education. One of my goals as a mother for the next few years is that when my daughter is old enough to understand a little better how things work, teach her about money and personal finances.
Is the Essence method correct? Although it seems to me that her daughter is a little small to understand (I would have waited until 8 or 9 years old), it is a creative way to explain to children how things work in the real world.
In addition, at the end of everything, your daughter will receive savings. As they say in some comments, if the girl plays, colors and has a normal childhood, I see nothing wrong with teaching her since childhood such an important life lesson, such as knowing how this whole money issue works.
