Seven-year-old Ron and his mother were shopping at a department store when suddenly he spied an electronic game that he had been wanting for a long time. "Oh, Mom, please buy this electronic game. I want it so much! It only costs $19.95." "No, Ron, I just do not have the money." "Well, Mom, just go to an ATM machine and get some money." "I'm sorry, Ron, I'll explain it to you when we get home."

After dinner that evening, Laura, Ron's mother asked to borrow Ron's play money. She sketched a picture of a bank and showed Ron that money first has to be deposited in a bank before one can use an ATM card. All children are ego-centric. Their wants center on their feelings and to young children parents have an endless supply of money. Tell your children that things do not bring happiness. If you give in to begging and fussing, you are rewarding the behavior. When shopping, a firm "No" is all that is needed. Explanations can come later.

Parents should be open and straightforward with their children about family finances. Laura is a single, working parent and things are tight. "Ron," she said, "this is our family budget. My monthly income from my salary is $____. First, we take out a tithe--ten percent. (That means one dollar out of every ten.) This belongs to God. Then we pay our rent, food, transportation, tuition, clothing, etc. You can see for yourself that there is not much money left over for incidentals. So when I said I couldn't afford the $19.95 for the electronic game--you know why. Now, I don't want you to worry about family finances. We are getting along all right, but we have to watch every penny. When you get older you can get a job and earn some money so you will have more to spend."

Later, Laura took Ron shopping at the super market. "Ron, I'll show you how I stretch the pennies. I compare prices from the newspaper very carefully. For instance, when I buy peanut butter, I compare quality and then I compare prices. I always look at the number of ounces on the jar." As they walked through the market, she would make selections, explain why she was buying this particle item and then allowed Ron to put it in the shopping cart. As they were going through the check-out stand, Laura gave some newspaper coupons to the clerk.

"See, Ron, I save money by using coupons." After they had paid for their groceries she mentioned to him that she had saved $2.40 this time by using coupons. Laura was teaching Ron valuable lessons that he could apply in his expenditure of money.

Laura decided it was time to give Ron an allowance because she had read that an allowance is the best way to teach children how to manage money. Most specialists agree that an allowance should be started when a child begins school --at about six years of age. Tell the child the purpose of the allowance-- to provide practice in using money. "Ron, I'm going to start giving you an allowance of $1.50 a week. Out of this you can pay your tithe--15 cents, then 50 cents is to be set aside for savings, and then the rest you can use as you wish. (But, no candy.) Then you won't have to beg Mother for money when you see something you want--provided you have saved enough to buy it." Allowances should be increased as children grow older to be used to help buy their own clothes.

Our example sets kids up for the gimmies. Children watch our expenditures. When they see us buying on impulse, they will do the same. And our spending habits reveal our values. Materialism is the god of choice in this modern affluent society. Do our children hear us giving thanks to God for all we have? Do they hear us talk about God's blessings? Do they see us helping those in need? Do we discuss with our families the tragedy of starving children in Africa? "Study how to teach the children to be thoughtful of others." Child Guidance, p. 133. "By precept and example, teach self-denial, economy, large heartedness, and self-reliance...Children...should not be encouraged to think that they must have everything they ask for...Never treat them in such a way as to make them think they are the center, and that everything revolves about them." Ibid, p. 132.

Yes, "the gimmies" is a very prevalent disease. But children can be taught to be unselfish and responsible in the use of money--by example, by admonition, and much prayer.