Kids and debt stress...
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Kids and debt stress...
| Fri, 12-11-2009 - 12:15pm |
Hi everybody. I am feeling a little down on my parenting skills and overwhelmed today and was hoping someone could give me a little advice. We are beyond stressed with money issues lately and I always seem to be yelling at dh or the kids, everything is late and we are doing all we can to keep the heat on and the cars from being repo'd. Ok, slight exaggeration - the mortgage

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I budget $40 per semester for school supplies.
I so know what you are talking about with the kids.
Becky
CL of 4th, 5th & 6th grade Scoliosis
I've been there. When my kids were younger we were happy to have the utilities on and a roof over our heads. To make it more difficult we lived in
Hi
My parents were finically irresponsible. They made me responsible for helping in the family budget buy the age of 12 .At 13 I was cleaning peoples homes and babysitting to help out .I got my first real job at 15.
I was a good kid a never did drugs. How ever I figured since my parents treated me as an adult in every other aspect. They had no right to try to control me. Buy the time I was 16 both of my parents had stopped working due to health problems. Leaving me the soul provider for are family. We moved in to my grandmothers tiny 2 bedroom home. I was very un happy because now I was not only expected to help support my family. But had 2 added adults who felt they could parent me.
I left home and got in to some problems. Buy 18 I had met my husband who is 11 years older then I am. I was lucky that we are a true love match and he was not some perv. We have been together going on 11 years now and have 2 wonderful sons.
Recently are income has been cut in half. which you can imagine is very stressful for me. Because of my childhood I am very careful about how much info I give my kids, about what’s going on.
As long as are lights are on and mortgage paid I try to be positive. I due explain to my kids about are budget for groceries and entertainment “ this month we can only rent movies twice” ect. I also have them help me clip coupons and plan meals.
I have them save 10% of there allowance each week which at 5 and 7 amounts to 50 to 70 cents. I give them a pre paid credit card at the begging of each month with a third of there allowance on it about 10 dollars. They are allowed to spend this however they wish but if they spend it all they must make payments each week to pay it back . If they don’t the next month the amount they paid back is placed on it minus 25 cents per week for late fees. I hope to teach my kids how to pay bills and budget in a fun constructive way.
I know that almost every American adult falls into the credit trap.
I am hoping with responsible teaching my kids will learn early what to do and not to. I hope my story is a warning for what may happen if you put to much adult responsibility on your kids. I was lucky things could have gone so much worse.
I have them save 10% of there allowance each week which at 5 and 7 amounts to 50 to 70 cents.
That's a good start.
Hi Angel,
Norma
"Patience is the best remedy for every trouble"- Plautus
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