Bill & Diane

> << Other than food, how do you determine when they should use their own
> money? >>
>
> No one particular way.
>
> That's money they can spend however they want to.

My kids are very young, and I started them on allowances because I absolutely refuse to spend my money in vending
machines. While I refuse to do so, I figured they could use that experience, so I started giving them 75 cents a week.
I figured they didn't know what it was to have "enough" or "not enough" for something. The checkbook always seems
bottomless. They both have automatic deposit--I keep a piece of paper in my purse that says how much they have and I
(theoretically) update it every Monday.and when they buy something.

Brian's five, and he won't buy stuff from vending machines; he says he's saving for train stuff. Katherine's three,
and she'll often get them each one from the vending machine. The last time he wanted a train car and didn't have
enough he convinced Katherine to kick in on that, too.

Basically I determine when *I* am going to buy something, and they determine if they want it enough for *them* to buy
something. For instance, this last train purchase, I was buying $60 worth of track and stuff and he wanted a third
Thomas (in addition to 3-4 other engines plus cars). I wasn't going to buy another engine. Sometimes when I say no
they want to pick it up and sometimes not.

Basically they're both broke now. Maybe I'll have to give them a conference bonus--is there likely to be small stuff
kids are likely to want to buy for themselves?

:-) Diane