Comments for Mom to Bee

Comment on Mo Money Mo Problems by CoreyAnn

CoreyAnn — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:15:17 +0000

My 17yo has been complaining about the car thing since she was 15. Come this July (and 2 months after her 18th bday) she will finally have her car.

It came after 2 years of hard work & savings by her ($1500) at your local ice cream shop, a lucky grant matching $2 for every $1 she puts in (only because she’s a foster child), and a $500 buy-in from us (we also are offering to get her rims & a system).

I think that while she saw others with cars as she had to endure the school bus and Metro to get around, she learned valuable lessons that make her appreciate what she has earned that I can attest, her friends DID NOT learn!

I think the biggest thing that Mr. Bee forgot in his spreadsheet is the cost of insurance for teens (our current quotes are $3500-4500 for anyone under 18) and gas (who knows…it can go back up to $4+ or higher).

When you cross that bridge remember that “Give them a fish, they eat for the day; Teach them to fish, they eat for a lifetime.”

To that end…make your kids do labor work as children (picking berries, cleaning houses, mowing lawns, etc) so that they can value having to earn vs. being given!!!

Comment on Mo Money Mo Problems by Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 21:13:13 +0000

Some tips I think would be helpful for you:

1. Be a role model yourself by not focusing on material wealth to equate to happiness. Allow them to express themselves through words, art, music, or other creative endeavors, rather than through material goods. Spend less money, spend more quality time.

2. Teach them to acknowledge and give thanks to what’s provided for them as young as toddler age.

3. Encourage them to take care of their belongings themselves, rather than rewarding them for work with money or other goods.

4. Encourage them to volunteer for homeless shelters or soup kitchens at least by high school.

5. Teach them to manage a small allowance of money at a young age.

Comment on Mo Money Mo Problems by Shannon

Shannon — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 22:46:45 +0000

As a nanny over the years to kiddos with money to burn, the key is teaching restraint. Keeping gifts special so that they are appreciated. Most of us poor mamas know about restraint because it is our way of life, but the person it is typically the hardest for is the parents of said bratty kids. Teaching kids the difference between luxury & necessity. Showing kids by example how to shop/spend/save money is a skill that will make a huge difference. Also, teaching kids to GIVE. If you get something new, you donate things you don’t use. Donate time, food, etc. And, no teenager appreciates anything handed to them, especially a $25k car

Comment on Mo Money Mo Problems by Jenne

Jenne — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 20:23:56 +0000

$25,000.00 for a first car, has Mr. Bee not read the statistics that most (if not all) kids total thier first and sometimes second car?We gave our oldest a car for graduation ($3500.00) and my mr. does the up-keep on it to keep it on the road. She loves it but as predicted she totaled it and we had to pay to have it put back together ($2400.00) however she seems to have learned to slow down and pay closer attention from that first wreck. Our oldest son is getting a truck that he and his dad are restoring (1968 Ford)and updating. Even if he wrecks it he’ll be safe!

As far as keeping them from being spoiled I’m not sure what the answer is there. My kids have much more than I did as a kid and they appreciate it far less. We have tried to teach them the value of a dollar and to make them understand things do not come free and that the world does not owe then anything.

Comment on Mo Money Mo Problems by sissy2mom2b

sissy2mom2b — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:37:44 +0000

As you know, I was the crasher of many vehicles my first few years of the driving. So, there’s no way in hell that children with half my genes with ever be getting a new car as their first car. I’m not stupid, yo.

What we plan to do (in three years, OMG!), is to match whatever J has saved for his car. If he saves $0, then guess what? No car! He tends to be quite the saver, so it may screw us over in the end. We’ll see…….

Comment on The Sound of Silence by Greg

Greg — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:38:53 +0000

That wasn’t me was it? If so, I was misquoted.

Comment on Mo Money Mo Problems by Rachael

Rachael — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:10:46 +0000

First off, $25,000 first cars? Heck no! I didn’t get one and neither are they. Haha.

I think that the best way to make sure that your kids don’t end up spoiled has less to do with WHAT you buy them and more to do with teaching them to be generous to other people, and to appreciate what they have. There are such thing as spoiled brat kids who don’t have a lot of stuff, and such thing as totally rich kids who are not spoiled. It’s about perception and how we teach them to interact with their belongings and other people.

Comment on The Master Plan by Mo Money Mo Problems | Mom to Bee

Mo Money Mo Problems | Mom to Bee — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:01:25 +0000

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Comment on I’m Ready by Keegan Mays-Childers

Keegan Mays-Childers — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:07:10 +0000

I used to see these baby boutiques and think “who would pay for clothes that will be useful for only a few months, and likely be covered in pureed carrots, vomit, piss, and shit the majority of that time anyway?”. Now I understand. We pay because they are cute. There need not be any other rationalization.

Comment on I’m Ready by Erin

Erin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:36:14 +0000

I am a nanny for an infant (well, now he is five months) and I am constantly spending my entire paycheck on stuff for him. I love that outfit, these shoes, that hat…

My goodness, it is a disease!