gave son choice of a yoyo or all the loose change

[Jeannie in NJ]

my son, age 12, wanted a new yoyo (he preforms in local show) so dh gave him a choice of getting a new yoyo or he could have all of dh's loose change (which was in a shoe box). He picked the yoyo, which did cost $70 and gave the change to his sister. I took her to the bank where she cashed in the change $162.50 and she gets to keep it all. So what is the lesson I can tell ds that he learned from this?

 

oh, also last year, he was given the choice to help his sister cleans dh's car and they would split the loose change. Ds declined, dd cleaned it, did an excellent job and got aroung $80.00 that time. So this is twice that ds has declined getting cash for loose change.

 

Dh hates to have loose change in his pockets so empties pockets each night and it really does add up. Dd, age 15, helps a lot around the house, ds less so and instead of any kind of allowance, dh usually pays them with loose change. Dd always saves hers for things such as new ipod, make-up, clothes, etc. She always has money saved while ds never can keep his money for more than a week, he just has to spend it so when he does get money for birthdays,etc. I usually have to hold on to it.

[Jennifer in MI]

Wow!!! That really is a lot of money!

 

We have a HUGE bottle where we save change. We collect any 10 cent refund bottles/cans and put the cash in there. We empty change from our purses, wallets, pockets, etc. Any found money goes there. It's been fun! We count it each year before we go on vacation. Last year? $460!!! It paid for a number of dinners out!

[Jeannie in NJ]

Jennifer, isn't loose change great. Once when ds was little, he did take all the loose change to the bank. He got his picture taken and won an additional $50.00 award from the bank for bringing his change in the most unusual container, it was his Hot Wheels suitcase for his cars.

[GoVanGogh]

We have always collected loose change in an old (large!) pickle jar. Every year or so, we would cash it in and take the $ on vacation w/us.

Now that we have a child, we have him take it to the bank once a year and he puts it in his college fund. DS is always so excited to hear how much money he added to his account.

Every penny counts...

There was an article in a running magazine last month about a guy that has stopped and picked up every coin (or bill) he has found while out running. He recorded every amount. Some runs, it was only a penny or two. Other runs, he would find several dollars in assorted coins. Over his 20+ year running history, it was a substantial amount.

[3lilreds in NC]

I take it he's noticed that he got the short end of the stick, as it were, due to his own choices?

 

Remind him of that - it was HIS CHOICE to take the yo-yo over the change. I don't think it was necessarily a bad choice.

 

Is he looking askance at the loose change and thinking he MUST be getting more by taking the other deal? Does he have a poor attitude because he thinks he was somehow cheated?

 

Something like "don't judge a book by it's cover" might apply, or simply remind him that change is money too - pennies do add up over time and shouldn't be overlooked as having no value. PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY - he made a choice, and he gets to live with it. He got something he really wanted out of the deal. Remind him of the other times he's chosen not to take the change, and tell him to reconsider next time.

[myfunnybunch]

So what is the lesson I can tell ds that he learned from this?

 

If he's 12, you probably don't need to tell him anything. He's old enough to figure it out on his own.

 

And if he's happy with his yo-yo, and his sister is happy with the change, really everyone wins, right? That's the lesson I'd hope for. He made his choice, and the fact that there was extra money in the jar won't change that, so he might as well enjoy the yo-yo, and choose the spare change next time. :)

 

My ex-bil makes yo-yos for a living, and I had no idea that there were so many yo-yos and yo-yo fan(atic)s out there. There's a whole yo-yo world! Who knew?

 

Spare change can really add up. have a HUGE piggy bank my aunt gave me when I was 8. HUGE. We made a goal to fill it to see how much it would hold. $1600. It was our activity and spending money for our vacation to Mexico. We got to swim with dolphins and take a really cool day trip to a lovely private beach.

 

Cat

[mom2denj]

WOW! I am just shocked that there is a yoyo that costs $70!!!!!

[Crissy]

Is he unhappy with the end result? If not, I don't see why there should have to be a lesson in the experience.

[vonfirmath]

Honestly? Does he think he made a bad choice? I'm not sure he did. I'm a sure thing person.

 

If he felt he needed the $70 yo-yo (Yikes!) and had no other way to pay for it, I'd have jumped at for-sure getting the yo-yo rather than the chance the box might contain enough. And even if the box contained more, I'd just shrug and still think I made the best decision with the information I had at the time.