A child is taught that shopping is
about many things. It is about people’s time, the cost of materials, the efforts
or labour required to create a product or service and the use of discretionary
income. It is a relationship we all share. A shopping trip to the local toy store to buy
something the child wants is not necessarily an easy, fun lesson for the child.
The loonies, toonies, five dollar bills
in his possession will now disappear when he approaches the cashier and the toys
become his. On top of the cost of said toy there is an imaginary cost called a
tax, money the government wants from the price of the toy you just bought. Oh, the child remarks. I do not want a
stranger to get my money. Mommy tells
the child to pretend he owns the toys he just collected. She tells him to put them in the shopping cart,
for the time being. He thinks he has the money to buy it all. Alas, one toy is returned to the shelf. There
is no money for it. The child then surveys the cart to determine which toys he
will buy and which ones are returned to the shelf. Hmm, he wonders, if I keep all of my choices, there will
be no money left for me to take home to put in the piggy bank for next time.
The physical act of holding money creates a lesson, also. Money has weight,
shape, texture. To a child, it is real!.. It has power over him. (Charging his
items to your debit/credit card for him eliminates this step but begins to
take him down the slippery “I owe you” slope). As the child holds these precious
means of exchange, he realizes all will be lost very soon if he is not careful.
He looks again and returns one more item
back to the shelf. Mom watches and
advises as needed.
Today’s shopping trip is an
exercise in personal choice and the main factor affecting it, money. This is their day to spend as they wish and
today they will all learn an important lesson about money and the wise investment of it. At the check-out, one child is told the total
cost of what he has just purchased. He
now knows that very little of the ‘monies’ he brought with him today will be
going home with him. His brothers know that, too. Two spend to the max while the cautious child
decides he wants some money to take home for next time. He has bought fewer and cheaper items and is
happy about it, too.
The children are reminded that only
defective toys will be returned to the store not toys bought in haste. People's time has a cost attached. In the real world some things simply cannot be
returned once they are bought. This
lesson is the most important one of all. Returning the toy you no longer want is not an
option. It is your cost to bear,
unfortunately. It will ultimately be the
cheapest lesson of all, however! ... Mommy’s time is worth something. There is a real and 'hidden' cost to driving the car. The manufacturer’s time to
make and package the item, then deliver it to the store is also worth
something. Finally, the salesperson/cashier,
all of whom are paid by the retailer to serve you, their time is worth
something. Everything is
understood. We leave the store, wiser
for having made the plunge into the exciting world of retail shopping.
Next: If I were famous....
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