How about things you wish your kids never bought?

[GeekMom]

Ok, everything I have read and heard about money and kids says you need to let them have the chance to manage their own money.

T and K have been pooling their money and saving for six long months to be able to purchase the Lego Motorized AT-AT (4 legged walker from Star Wars). Last weekend they got Halloween money from Grandma (thanks mom) and that put them over the desired amount. Amazon order was placed, and the AT-AT is currently making its way here.

I did not want this thing. The reasons being that a)they have too many fucking legos that they b)leave all over the floor and c)have fits about when things unexpectedly fall apart after they worked hard on it. I can see this thing becoming a major source of aggrivation for me.

So what does one do? Do I tell them what they can do with their money? Do I hope beyond hope that they can actually play nicely with this thing? Do I go back to nightly red wine drinking? What restrictions do you put on your kids' spending of their own money?

[forrest]

is this it?

http://shop.lego.com/Product/?p=10178

at first I thought it was cool...then I saw the price...yikes!

I dont have an opinion on kids spending since my kiddos are too young...but I think as long as they earned it (whatever that might be) then why not...


although I dont mean getting money as gifts should count - if my kids need new shoes/clothes then that would be bought first before any toys...

[GeekMom]

Oops, I think I responded to the wrong thread about this one. Stupid list of recent posts...

Anyhow, yes, this is the one they saved their hard earned allowance for. They have been pooling all their money for at least 6 months or more for this, as mommy said "No (explitive deleted) way am I purchasing that. Ever."

So they can set a financial goal and achieve it - good for them. But now, I get to be menaced by an AT AT...

[Snatch]

Maybe tell them this is a trial experience?  IF all the things you're concerned about happen actually happen, YOU get to say yay or nay on the next thing they want to spend their money on.

I remember being told what I could and couldn't buy with my own money, at least until I was working outside the home and making my own so long as my bills were taken care of (car payment/insurance/gas/etc.).  I remember my parents always talking to us about what we spent our money on making us REALLY think about it to make sure it's what we REALLY wanted.

[GeekMom]

Mr. AT-AT arrived yesterday.

Good news is that it will take them DAYS to assemble. Bad news is that getting them to do homework and chores first will be a trial.

Although yesterday, when it was clear that a)Mom had the AT-AT and b)she was not revealing its location until homework and chores were done, somehow, miraculously, all the homework and chores were done and dinner was eaten by 5:15 pm. Motivation can be had...

[Fruity]

Although yesterday, when it was clear that a)Mom had the AT-AT and b)she was not revealing its location until homework and chores were done, somehow, miraculously, all the homework and chores were done and dinner was eaten by 5:15 pm. Motivation can be had...

That's exactly what I was thinking!  You can hold this over them for about a week!

Are they still young enough to believe that Mr. AT-AT only likes playing on the coffee table and if his parts and pieces go outside the coffee table galaxy, Mr. AT-AT shuts down and gets sad and only searches for comfort and solace in Mommy?

You know, because I've never used that sort of tactic on my kid...

[GeekMom]

Well I did convince them that, ya know, if ya leave all his parts scattered on the coffee table, that it is pretty likely that Lightning will strike and scatter them all over the living room. Lightning is the name of our rather rambuncious younger cat, who likes to bat legos around. This did inspire them to put the pieces into ziplock bags separated by color...