I have decided that, for our family's purposes (and every family is different), for now, our kids can decide who and how much they want to give their DONATION money too.
I'm not going to tell them that they have to give it all every week to our Church. They are having too much fun - and, in 11 and 13 year old language, that means, they are curious and genuinely interested (doesn't happen often to 11 and 13 year olds) - with this experience that for me to start wrecking it now.
As for us, the family has always put something in the basket, usually close to the same amount on a fairly regular basis. But, we've never committed to a number. And, we've never really thought about what that number or percent should be.
So, what's my next step? Increase it by 10% until I get to 10%. Tithing 10% right now, out of the blue would just blow away our "budget" (as it is, which is much better than it was about 8 months ago). I'm estimating what I put in the collection plate for all of last year and increasing it by 10%. That's how much I'm writing on the pledge card for next year. Then I'm dividing it by 12 months - and setting it up for AUTOMATIC debit from our checking account each month.
Yahooo!
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Theresa Markham, Esq.
Author, The Kids' Bank Book
Monday, May 14, 2007
Day 232 - Daughter begins her Kiva giving
Kiva.org loans to people of small businesses in poverty areas start at $25.
My 13 year old's DONATIONS bank only has a little over $10 in it.
Her MORE MONEY bank, on the other hand, has about $15 in it.
Good question - should we call this a DONATION or an INVESTMENT?
Well, according to Kiva.org, it is a LOAN. So, it's an investment. Now, the likelihood of it being repaid is what's known as RISK - and my daughter will have to decide whether she wants to accept that investment risk, or whether she wants to consider the risk to be 100% non-repayment (which I am sure is NOT the case at Kiva.org) - and just call it a DONATION on her own books.
Either way, she's not ready yet to do that.
[But, I am. I loaned $25 today to a seamstress. I am calling it an investment - one of a growing number of them in my portfolio.]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Theresa Markham, Esq.
Author, The Kids' Bank Book
My 13 year old's DONATIONS bank only has a little over $10 in it.
Her MORE MONEY bank, on the other hand, has about $15 in it.
Good question - should we call this a DONATION or an INVESTMENT?
Well, according to Kiva.org, it is a LOAN. So, it's an investment. Now, the likelihood of it being repaid is what's known as RISK - and my daughter will have to decide whether she wants to accept that investment risk, or whether she wants to consider the risk to be 100% non-repayment (which I am sure is NOT the case at Kiva.org) - and just call it a DONATION on her own books.
Either way, she's not ready yet to do that.
[But, I am. I loaned $25 today to a seamstress. I am calling it an investment - one of a growing number of them in my portfolio.]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Theresa Markham, Esq.
Author, The Kids' Bank Book
Day 225
Bank night has turned into Family Night.
Everyone at home - without tv or cell phones or IM.
With games, stories, "funniest thing that happened this week at school," puzzles, projects, family dreaming. I can see that "What if's" will play a part in this - "What if we could go anywhere for a family vacation, where would it be?"
Just us, just for fun, just for sharing.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Theresa Markham, Esq.
Author, The Kids' Bank Book
Everyone at home - without tv or cell phones or IM.
With games, stories, "funniest thing that happened this week at school," puzzles, projects, family dreaming. I can see that "What if's" will play a part in this - "What if we could go anywhere for a family vacation, where would it be?"
Just us, just for fun, just for sharing.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Theresa Markham, Esq.
Author, The Kids' Bank Book
Day 218 - Son's business
We discussed a dot-com affiliate business and a lawn mowing/yard cleaning business.
We wrote down the investments needed for each - time & money.
He's thinking about it, then I'm sure we'll jot down a game plan (aka business plan).
---------------------------------------------------------------
Theresa Markham, Esq.
Author, The Kids' Bank Book
We wrote down the investments needed for each - time & money.
He's thinking about it, then I'm sure we'll jot down a game plan (aka business plan).
---------------------------------------------------------------
Theresa Markham, Esq.
Author, The Kids' Bank Book
Day 211 - Son turns 11 - thinks of owning his own business
So my son says to me this week while we're eating his birthday cake (just the family little celebration after dinner), "I was thinking. What kind of business could I start - and what MONEY bank would that come out of?"
[And I think to myself, "I don't know. And, I don't know," are NOT good answers.]
I pretend needing to chew this melt-in-your-mouth cake - to give me more time to think. I need to scan the Kids' Bank Book for answers to stuff like this, I decide. Didn't it say something about kids and their businesses? about hiring them for work around the house?
"Hmm, good question. Let me think about that and we'll discuss it tomorrow."
------------------------------------------------------------
Theresa Markham, Esq.
Author, The Kids' Bank Book
[And I think to myself, "I don't know. And, I don't know," are NOT good answers.]
I pretend needing to chew this melt-in-your-mouth cake - to give me more time to think. I need to scan the Kids' Bank Book for answers to stuff like this, I decide. Didn't it say something about kids and their businesses? about hiring them for work around the house?
"Hmm, good question. Let me think about that and we'll discuss it tomorrow."
------------------------------------------------------------
Theresa Markham, Esq.
Author, The Kids' Bank Book
Day 204 - 13 year old donates to Kiva.org
My 13 year old daughter wants to donate to Kiva.org.
Wow! My daughter is considering helping someone on the other side of the world with microfinance!
She's checking out the different listings now.
[Have you ever heard of such a thing? Donate/lend a minimum of $25 and they'll add the little pieces together and "lend" it to a 3rd world small business. The world is getting smaller - and better!]
--------------------------------------------------------
Theresa Markham, Esq.
Author, The Kids' Bank Book
Wow! My daughter is considering helping someone on the other side of the world with microfinance!
She's checking out the different listings now.
[Have you ever heard of such a thing? Donate/lend a minimum of $25 and they'll add the little pieces together and "lend" it to a 3rd world small business. The world is getting smaller - and better!]
--------------------------------------------------------
Theresa Markham, Esq.
Author, The Kids' Bank Book
Day 197 - Son wants to donate to World Wildlife Fund
My son has decided to use his DONATIONS bank money for the World Wildlife Fund.
We're going to print out the form and mail it.
I haven't decided yet whether to have him write a check using one of my checks (and I'll sign it of course) - and I can take him to the bank on Saturday to make the deposit into my checking account.
Or, to take him to the post office and get a money order. I'm leaning towards a money order because there's a small fee for the money order - which demonstrates the costs of MANAGING money better than writing a check does. [By just writing one of my checks, he doesn't see my monthly checking account fee, or the cost of having checks printed, etc.]
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Theresa Markham, Esq.
Author, The Kids' Bank Book
We're going to print out the form and mail it.
I haven't decided yet whether to have him write a check using one of my checks (and I'll sign it of course) - and I can take him to the bank on Saturday to make the deposit into my checking account.
Or, to take him to the post office and get a money order. I'm leaning towards a money order because there's a small fee for the money order - which demonstrates the costs of MANAGING money better than writing a check does. [By just writing one of my checks, he doesn't see my monthly checking account fee, or the cost of having checks printed, etc.]
------------------------------------------------------
Theresa Markham, Esq.
Author, The Kids' Bank Book
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