As parents, we all want to teach our children valuable life skills, and managing finances is an important one. As a kid, it might be tricky to understand financial concepts behind mortgage interest rates, income tax brackets, or stock market investing. However, having some input into what ESA purchase to make next is something my kiddos will be able to dive into.
Have Your Kiddos Complete a Purchase Request Form
That's why I came up with a creative solution for my children's ESA purchases. I created an ESA purchase request form for them to fill out whenever they want something they see as educational. This form includes questions about the item they want, its cost, and whether it aligns with their values (and maybe their ESA curriculum).
Encourage Understanding of Responsible Spending
By encouraging them to think critically about their wants and needs, they're beginning to grasp the concept of responsible spending. They are also forced urged to take a moment to consider how the item will benefit them, whether it will align with their values, and if there are any possible drawbacks (ex. If I join that weekly Outschool class, I won't be able to go to the park).
Minimize Impulse Asks
As educational as this post is – I won't say this the benefits of this form are all for them. I get the peace of pointing to the request form instead of verbally responding to and managing the never-ending list of childhood desires. That may not seem big to some parents, but for my neuro-spicy brain, it is much-needed relief.
Print and Laminate
Whether you choose to print a bunch of paper forms, or laminate a few to reuse, implementing this ESA purchase request for my children has been a game-changer in teaching them the value of money and responsible spending. It encourages critical thinking about their wants and needs, while also reducing the amount of “will you buy me” questions (that I have to say no to) we receive in a day. I hope it is as helpful for you as it has been for us!
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