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Bright-Kids
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Vol. 5, No. 25 - June 23rd, 2008
http://brightkids.wordpress.com
mailto: debi@simplemom.com
Copyright 2008 Deborah Taylor-Hough
ISSN: 1536-0466 All Rights Reserved
________________________________

Subscribe: join-bright-kids@hub.thedollarstretcher.com
***: leave-bright-kids@hub.thedollarstretcher.com
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IN THIS ISSUE:
-- "Dear Readers"
-- Quote-able
-- Teaching Children to Manage Their Money
-- Grand Adventures for Grandparents and Grandkids
-- Reader Tips
-- Assorted Information (resources, archives, etc.)
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< < O U R . S P O N S O R > >

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________________________________

Dear Readers ...

Karen Bastille's article in this issue of Bright-Kids is about
field trips with grandparents and grandkids -- but the ideas
definitely aren't for just grandparents. If you're a parent, an
aunt or uncle, a neighbor, or just a friend of a child, Karen's
100 suggestions should spark some ideas for fun -- and even
educational! -- outings for you and those special little ones
in your life.

For more ideas and further details about taking family trips,
be sure to check out Teri Brown's wonderful book, DayTripping,
and transform any day into an educational adventure. This
book has an honored -- and easily accessible! -- spot on my
own bookshelf.

'Day Tripping: Your Guide to Educational Family Adventures'
by Teri Brown
Click here: http://snurl.com/daytripping

Simply Yours,

--Debi
(Deborah Taylor-Hough)
Editor, Bright-Kids Email Newsletter
--Author of the popular 'Frozen Assets' cookbook series, 'A Simple
Choice,' and 'Frugal Living For Dummies(r)'
--Editor, Simple Times and Bright-Kids email newsletters

http://brightkids.wordpress.com
http://thesimplemom.wordpress.com
http://snurl.com/DebiTupperware
http://dsimple.wordpress.com
http://whiteriverpres.org

________________________________

QUOTABLE

"The man who doesn't read good books has no advantage
over the man who can't read them."

--Mark Twain

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TEACHING CHILDREN TO MANAGE THEIR MONEY
by Shari Steelsmith
Copyright Parenting Press
Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
http://www.ParentingPress.com


TIP -- People who have some experience managing money
in childhood have an easier time handling their finances in
adulthood.

The vast majority of people have learned how to spend money
when they leave home, but few have learned to budget or save
money effectively. Parents who wish to teach their children to
manage money in childhood can be confused about which way
to go about it. Do they give out allowances? Give money for
doing chores? Pay children for good grades?

According to Elizabeth Crary, parent educator and author of
'Pick Up Your Socks', what you do depends on what you want
to teach your children about money. "People need to understand
that money is a resource they can use wisely or unwisely," writes
Crary, pointing out that children need to have some experience
with money in order to develop good skills for adulthood.

Three common systems families use are:

1) The Dole System

Parents dole out money when they see fit. Money isn't earned.
Children can get expensive items if they present their case well
or time the request well. Children don't learn to budget or save.


2) Earned Spending Money

Children earn money from doing chores. Children have regular
access to money and can learn to budget and save. Money is
associated with work. As children get older, they sometimes
stop doing household chores in order to take on jobs in the
neighborhood or community that pay more.


3) Family Contribution System (allowances)

Children receive an allowance because they are family members.
Money isn't connected to work. Children have regular access to
money and can learn to budget and save. However, because
allowances are typically too small to buy the "big" things children
want, they usually fail to save.


TOOL -- Crary invites parents to structure their own family plan
for children and money based on their goals and values. She
recommends asking yourself the following questions before
deciding how to let your children experience money manage-
ment.

What's the purpose of money? Is the purpose to allow children
the chance to budget or to buy things they want or need?

What's the allowance to cover? Is it completely discretionary
or do you expect your child to buy things they need or to pay
for their own movie tickets?

How much control does your child have over his money? For
example, can it be used to buy candy, toys, firecrackers, or
to pay a sibling for doing her chores?

How much money is reasonable for a child to have? This
depends on the age of the child, what the purpose of the
allowance is, what it's to cover, and what you can afford to
give.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
--You’ll find more practical tips you can use right now in 'Pick
Up Your Socks . . . and Other Skills Growing Children Need!'
by Elizabeth Crary, M.S. http://snurl.com/pickupsocks

________________________________

< < O U R . S P O N S O R > >

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________________________________

GRAND ADVENTURES FOR GRANDPARENTS & GRANDKIDS
Copyright Karen Bastille
Used with permission. All rights reserved.
http://www.grandmotherwren.com


By making field trips a part of your projects, you're giving your
child (or grandchild) the opportunity to learn first hand about
the world around her -- a hands on, real world exploration
involving the whole child.

Use the suggestions below as a springboard for trips of your
own, adapting the ideas to your neighborhood or region. Most
field trips for children will be more successful if you let your
destination know ahead of time when you'll be visiting. I've
found that mailing a brief note works better than making a
phone call -- almost always someone "in charge" will get
back to you and offer a time that is good for you to visit.

Remember to bring your camera and a notebook to record
your child's ideas and impressions while on your trip. You
can add them to your project memory book when you return
home.

Make it a safe trip and Have Fun!

1. Grocery Store -- make it a "non -shopping" trip this time
and spend time in different areas of the store : produce,
fish, bakery
2. Pet Store
3. Garden Center
4. Sporting Goods Store
5. State and National Parks
6. Herb Farm
7. Apple Orchard
8. Dairy Farm
9. Library
10. Petting Zoo
11. Art Museum
12. Children's Museum
13. Aquarium
14. Playgrounds
15. Indoor Playscapes
16. Home Improvement Center
17. Hardware Store -- the smaller stores have owners that may
be more willing to spend time talking with your child
18. Pharmacy -- same here, try to avoid the big "chain' pharmacies;
try to find a small local drugstore if you can
19. Walking Trails
20. Police Station
21. Pizza Shop
22. Nature Centers
23. Video Arcade
24. Movie Theater
25. Nature Reserve
26. Radio Station
27. Ice Skating
28. Roller Skating
29. Swimming
30. Sledding
31. Theme Park
32. Dentist
33. Pumpkin Patch
34. Ice Cream Shop
35. Dairy Farm
36. P***tarium
37. Local Artist's Studio
38. Ponds, Lakes, Rivers
39. Airport
40. Local Cable TV Station
41. Food Warehouse
42. Hospital
43. Health Club or Gym
44. Bakery
45. Ride a City Bus
46. Recycling Center
47. Veterinarian
48. Fishing
49. Christmas Tree Farm
50. Bank
51. Animal Shelter
52. Car Wash
53. Retirement Community
54. Flea Market
55. Town Hall
56. Post Office
57. Local College or University Campus
58. Strawberry Patch
59. School Bus Lot
60. Elementary School
61. Barber or Hairdresser
62. Bus Station
63. Train Station
64. Bridge
65. Laundromat
66. Road Construction Site
67. Building Site
68. Church
69. School Cafeteria
70. Duck Pond
71. Farmer's Market
72. Vegetable Garden
73. Flower Garden
74. School or Community Concert
75. Senior Center -- many have lunch programs that welcome
guests -- call ahead for reservations
76. Fishing Pier
77. Marina
78. Jeweler
79. Stable or Horse Farm
80. Office Supply Store
81. Craft Supply Store
82. Craft Consignment Shop
83. Optometrist
84. Nail Salon
85. Tractor/Farm Store
86. Garage/Auto Repair Shop
87. Parking Garage
88. Trucking Company
89. Food Warehouse
90. Computer Store
91. Dog Groomer
92. Cemetery
93. Neighborhood Unlike the one you live in
94. Ethnic Market
95. Garbage Truck
96. Take a Taxi ... Or the Ferry
97. Row Boat or Paddle Boat or Canoe
98. Take a train ride
99. Electric dam
100. Your Own Backyard -- day/night; wind/rain/sun; camping …


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
--Karen Bastille (known online as "Grandmother Wren") has
a helpful collection of blogs and websites dealing with every-
thing from COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease),
to family living, to crafts, to creative grandparenting. Visit
Karen online at: http://www.GrandmotherWren.com

________________________________

READERS WRITE / READERS' TIPS
Submitted by Bright-Kids' readers.
Send your tips to Debi: dsimple@aol.com


Eek! No tips this week!

We'd love to hear YOUR fun ideas to encourage kids to learn
something new or try something different! Or even just have
some good old-fashioned family fun. :-)
______________________________

READ-ALOUD BOOKS FOR FAMILIES:

http://snurl.com/reading4kids

Recommended books for children and families
(This is a great list to print out and hand to your kids'
grandparents for suggestions at gift-giving times!) :-)
_______________________________

A special thanks to Gary Foreman and the friendly folks at
The Dollar Stretcher for making this mailing list possible! :-)
http://www.stretcher.com/
_______________________________

< < B E . O U R . S P O N S O R > >

Would you like to place an ad in this newsletter? Contact
Andrea at marketing@stretcher.com Subject line: bright-kids
Discover the modest rates for reaching this targeted market.
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My Church: http://whiteriverpres.org
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