the Value of Money--Part 3 of 3

This is the final post about Irma and her daughter Connie. (You can read Part 1 and Part 2 by clicking the links.)

That fall and winter she looked better-dressed on less money than she ever had. Our advice, formerly unwanted and viewed as nagging, was now not only accepted but sought. She took a healthy pride both in the responsibility she had been given and in her own excellent record in handling it.

Along toward Christmas we reaped another totally unexpected dividend from our investment in independence. up to that time, clothes had been considered definitely second-rate gifts. They were things you got anyway. But that year's Christmas list included twin sweaters, a sports shirt, and a pair of western-style pajamas instead of the usual knickknacks.

Her father and I have found that our own attitude has improved as much as Connie's. We look to her now as a person with good sense, able to understand a definite limit and operate freely within it. We no longer feel our generosity was a dangerous precedent. We realize, of course, that with rising prices and Connie's forthcoming need for such items as formal evening dresses, we'll have to step up her allowance to meet the situation. But the basic idea certainly works for us, and I'd recommend trying it with any teen-age girl. The amount, naturally, depends on whatever you consider suitable. But you can't lose anything except the original investment--and I'll bet you won't lose that.

THE END

I didn't want to comment throughout the article as I thought that would be distracting.  I thought it could speak for itself.  I don't have any teenage or otherwise daughters, but I certainly will use this info as a model for teaching responsibility with money to my son.  In fact, we've been working on this with him for about 3 months now.  I may do a post about that as I'm finding the same types of shining maturity that Irma did.

Are/did any of you work with your child(ren) about money in the manner of this article? Did you have a different way of teaching financial responsibility?  I would like to hear it as we're at that point in our child-rearing journey.  We're going to raise a boy who can manage his money!