This morning, our girls devoted themselves to their money and their Moonjars.
Moonjars aren’t actually jars, but rather funky little geometric cardboard banks designed to help kids divvy up their money into categories of spend, save and share.
We gave them each one for Christmas with promises to finally get our acts together, allowance-wise.
Because, I’ll admit it right here, we’ve started an allowance routine twice and both times we just kind of… well… we forgot to pony up the dough. The tooth fairy at our house has forgotten to visit on more than one occasion, too.
This is a weakness, I know.
So. It’s a new year. And the Moonjars are going to snap us all into shape.
It was a really great morning — both girls emptying their old porcelain pigs and then figuring out, with our help and a handy-dandy calculator — how much should go into each segment of the Moonjar. Percentages that they’ll apply to any future deposits, too. (If we were this organized about our money we’d probably be featured in E.F. Hutton ads or something.)
And then, to complete the circle, we had these really vivid discussions about what they’d use their money for, what they were saving for, and to whom they planned to give. Small one is determined to find an organization devoted to the protection of otters (let me know if you’ve got an inside line on this), tall one is going to divide her donation between the food bank and Heifer International. And the money that’s theirs to spend or save? There are elaborate calculations being made, for everything from bubble gum, to a rabbit and a rabbit hutch, to a trip to Brazil. Or Peru. Or Tawain. We like to think big over here.
In the end, it jump-started our own discussion of the great remodel of 2008 (we’re all sharing one teeny-tiny bathroom at our house, folks) and it even kicked off a little friendly fitness competition between my hubby and me. (Wish me luck…)
Sheesh.
It’s a good thing that New Year’s Day is only 24 hours long and we’re sleeping for a bunch of those, because I can only manage so much forward thinking and fine intentions before I pop.
(Feeling grateful for tomorrow when I’m not going to look ahead AT ALL.
Just hoping to finish the laundry and write. Write, write, write…)
Oh my, we have the same allowance forgetfulness in our family. I need some Moonjars. And then I need someone to send me weekly reminders to actually give the money to my children.
And you know I live in Brazil? Is there a specific place here you’re wanting to visit?
Right — maybe the Moonjar company can start an online reminder service…
My elder daughter is a child of the big wide world and she wants to get to every corner of it — and take the rest of us with her. So, maybe we’ll come see you in Brazil!
Moonjars. What a fun idea. Maybe I should do something like this for my children. Though I would first have to give them an allowance. I would love to be a fly on the wall listening to the kids’ conversations on what they’d like to do with their money.
Happy New Year!
It is fascinating. Our youngest just priced rabbits!
Moonjars
Thanks for the link to the Moonjars. I’ve just ordered one for each of the girls. They’re very good at saving money, but I’ve been looking for a way to emphasize sharing it with others. This should do the trick.
Happy new year.
hokgardner
DeDe – Have you heard of/read about Greg Mortensen? I met him last week and then heard him speak to an overflow crowd at Colorado College. I am in awe of this man! Suggest to Fin that she look into Pennies for Peace as a place to donate her pennies. And check out Greg’s “Three Cups pf Tea”. He’s all about education (mostly by building schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan), education for women. I have 20 pages left to read in his book, which I look forward to doing while I take a hot, steamy bath tonight.
XOXO, Marty
Yes!!!! But I hadn’t thought of this for the girls. Now I have and they LOVE it. Thanks!!