Helping Children Learn to Plan

If we want our children to grow up and stay out of the last two categories, we need to help them learn how to plan. Getting ready for school to start is a great time to work with children to help them learn to plan for their needs for the coming school year.

A good starting place with children who are able to read, write, and do some math is to simply have the child sit down with pencil and paper and make a list of everything he/she can think of that will be needed for school. When the child thinks his list is complete, sit down with the child and divide the list into needs and wants. Explain that a certain amount of money will be available and that needs must be met before wants can be addressed. Some items may need to be added or subtracted from the list according to the parent's choice. It is possible that there are items left from sisters or brothers or the previous year that can be used to save money. Such things as scissors can be used year after year. However, there is a real value in children having some new items to start school. It is a great feeling for a child to go to school with a new box of crayons, a new pencil, and a new tablet or notebook and at least one new outfit of clothing.

After the lists have been decided upon, give the child several flyers containing ads with prices. We all get those almost daily in our mailboxes. Ask the child to look through the flyers and check on prices of the items on the lists; then, write the prices beside the items listed. It is good if flyers are available from several places to enable the child to compare prices and find the lowest ones. Since there will be several items, allow the child to use a calculator to add the prices to get a total.

Now it is time to do the actual purchasing. Undoubtedly, there will need to be some changes made when the store has sold out of certain items, etc. However, guard against allowing the child to do impulse buying. Take time to discuss the pros and cons of purchases that have to be changed from the original plan.

After the items have been obtained, plan for a place to do homework in the home. Help the child decide the best time and place to do homework. Storage places for books, homework, or other school items need to be decided. Doing so now will prevent having those items thrown helter-skelter all around the house and the child not being able to find them when needed.

Older children can be given an allotted amount of money and be allowed to make their own purchases. They will then have to decide how best to use that money. If they get to keep what they don't use, you can be sure they will try to find the best bargains. Younger children need more help, of course. Parents may need to do the writing and calculating for them.

They can still get the idea of planning and being frugal with purchases.

It wouldn't hurt to mention the length of time that mom and dad have to work on the job to pay for the needs for the children. Doing so will help the children to have a realistic concept of the value of purchases and they will probably be more inclined to take care of those things.

The process of planning just described will enhance reading skills, writing skills, and math skills. Children will have a better idea of the value of money and the things it can purchase. They will have an exercise in critical thinking and with this process repeated enough times, they will grow up making things happen, not just letting things happen, or wondering what happened.