TEACHING FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION

One of the joys of being a grand parent is the opportunity to help train our 2nd generation.

This Spring we decided it would be a good opportunity to have Aric begin to help Grand Dad with some mowing. Since we have a very big back yard, and since we have two bee hives in the back we decided to talk to Aric about mowing the front and being paid $5 a week to do so. He was thrilled!!! Last week was his first week and he did a very good job, with Grand Dad showing him how to follow the tire wheel marks and mow in straight, neat lines.

On Tuesday Mickey decided to go ahead and mow the front yard himself as he wanted to get some We*ed & Fe*ed on it early Wednesday morning as they were predicting rain beginning on Friday and the week-end.

About a week ago we had dug up all the daffodil bulbs out of one flower bed in the front yard. We ended up with 100's of bulbs!!! I couldn't believe how they had multiplied. We gave lots of them away to several people who wanted them and still had about 80 of them left to plant in the back yard. We decided that would be a good job for Aric to do and earn his $5.

Aric & Grand Dad planting the daffodil bulbs in the back yard.

Working hard and doing a very good job with that shovel.

We also instructed Aric, before we made the deal for the $5 pay he would earn, that he was to give 10% for his tithe and put 10% in his little savings account that we are building up for him and the remaining $4 was entirely and completely his to spend as he choose.

************

Another teaching opportunity we used recently, and is working really well, is I made up $5 gift certificates for the local Doughnut Shop that Aric loves to visit when visiting us. We gave these to him as part of his 11th Birthday gifts on February 4th.

The purpose of these gift certificates were to teach him about handling money. Each time we go to the doughnut shop he takes one of his certificates and subtracts the amount of his purchase from the $5. This way he sees how much he has spent and how much he still has remaining on that certificate.
The certificate at the top shows how they look. The one on the bottom shows where he added 57 cents balance from his previously used certificate to this one. Then to the left you can see where he deducted his $2.20 charge leaving him a balance of $3.37 that is still available to him on this certificate. Of course this is being used solely as a teaching tool and Grandpa & Grandma buy the doughnuts!!!!

Just a couple of little things we are using to teach not only work, but responsibility. I would love for you to share any ideas that you have used.

Whatsoever your hands findeth to do, do it as unto the Lord.