Zephyr Hill

A Family Blog

4 Important Money Lessons for Children

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After making plenty of money mistakes when we were single and first married, my husband and I got on a written budget five years ago and today are happy to have only our mortgage when it comes to debt. There are four important money lessons we want to instill in our children, and I’m thrilled to have found a program for children ages 6 to 11 called Money Savvy Kids that helps reinforce these principles!

1. Don’t spend any money until you have a plan for it. Even if it’s just five dollars in a piggy bank, school age children can be taught to allot their funds for different purposes. Money decisions take time, and parents can help children with the choices they will face when it comes to buying, donating and investing.

2. Create incentives for donating, investing and saving. Your child will find it easy to spend money on things they want. But it might be difficult to encourage saving, investing or even donating their money. So create incentives like matching their amounts. If they save up $10 for a bike, offer to add another $10. If they accumulate $5 to give to the parish poor box, add $5 of your own to double their donation.

3. The sooner you begin, the sooner money can go to work for you. Don’t delay putting the principle of interest to work; the earlier a child starts a savings account, the bigger the rewards will be later on. (Hint: you can even start a savings account for your newborn baby.)

4. Avoid borrowing when possible. Borrowing from someone else creates a financial burden; you’re never really “free” until that obligation is paid in full, and the more debt you have, the less income you have to work with on pay day. A child can mistakenly assume that borrowing is a quick and easy way to get money, but there’s nothing quick or easy about paying the lender back!

The Money Savvy Kids home edition that we received free to review includes:

  • Money Savvy Pig piggy bank and goal setting stickers
  • 44 page soft-cover Parent Handbook
  • 8 chapter CD-ROM with over 100 color images and four sing-along kids songs about money
  • 21 page soft-cover Student Workbook
  • 22 page soft-cover Money Savvy Kids Coloring and Activity Book
  • 17″ by 22″ When You’re Smart with Money Poem Poster

It retails for $39.99. If you have more than one child that will be using the program, an additional kit containing another bank plus the workbooks and stickers can be purchased for just $23.99.

The eight CD-ROM lessons are very enjoyable and easy to understand. Simply pop the CD into your computer and a colorful PDF document opens up that contains all the chapters. I sat with Joseph and Catherine in front of the laptop as we read each lesson aloud. The program starts out very logically with a chapter about the history of money. My children loved learning about the bartering process used in ancient times and as soon as Daddy came home, they shared some facts from the lesson with him.

Here are a few screenshots to give you an idea of how colorful and engaging the lessons are:

There are fun workbook activities to go along with the lessons:

I personally found the Discussion Guide for Parents to be a great resource as we worked our way through the lessons. The commentaries from Susan Beacham (nationally syndicated finance columnist and founder of Money Savvy Generation) are very insightful. The four songs on the CD are entertaining to listen to, and they are sung by children, so that adds an element of fun. The first, which is about the history of money, was our favorite. Out of all the course materials received, the least-used item would probably be the money poem poster, mostly because it focuses heavily on making and spending money.

It took us about 45 to 60 minutes to complete one chapter plus the corresponding activities. I would say that’s an ideal amount of time for the 6 to 11 age group. You could do 1 lesson a week or even a couple per week. It’s ideal for home learners and private/public school students. Unfortunately, most children aren’t really introduced to financial concepts until high school, yet they deal with money from the time they are very young. Why not start early and get the core principles instilled right off?

Another bonus: doing a program like this with your child at home starts a conversation about money, and that’s an important one to have. Children frequently ask for things (toys, books, clothes, candy, you name it!) and the typical parental response (guilty mama here) is to put them off by saying things like “maybe” or “one day” or “perhaps for your birthday.” When you’ve taught your child some basic money principles like those found in the Money Savvy kids program, your conversations can be more meaningful. You might instead say “you could save up for that toy using your bank. Let’s write down how much it costs and see how much is in that slot when we get home.”

One more thing: as you might imagine, the divided bank is a HUGE hit. All my children want one now! I just ordered a second pig (in purple) for Catherine. Joseph likes that he can see his money grow in the different compartments, and labeling them with stickers was a lot of fun. The bank is big enough that each compartment will hold quite a bit of money. Both coins and currency (folded and creased tightly) can go inside; each foot opens individually at the bottom so you can get the money out.

How your child divides up his money is a plan you can work on together. Everything doesn’t have to be parceled out in four equal shares. As a general rule, we’ve taught ours to put 10% of anything they earn immediately into the “Donate” slot. This is our family’s way of stressing that every material thing we receive is a gift from God, and that we show our gratitude by cheerfully giving some of it back for good causes. The remaining 90% is then apportioned due to circumstances and current financial goals they are trying to reach. Sometimes it’s easiest to just split it 30/30/30, if possible. (Example: my son gets $10 for cutting grandma’s lawn. He puts one dollar into Donate and then $3.00 each into Spend/Save/Invest).

It’s been very rewarding to watch my 10-year-old son take responsibility for his money and make plans for how he will spend it. One of the most wonderful things to see is how he quietly puts the money from his Donate slot into the collection basket at church every so often. There’s no fanfare and no boasting. He’s a little man who’s learning to be a good steward.

Why do I think the divided bank is such a great concept? It’s an excellent visual device to help children understand abstract money concepts. As they portion their money out for different things, they’ll understand that they are responsible for each dollar that comes to them. And using the Money Savvy Kids program, they’ll learn more about what they can accomplish with each of the four goals: SAVE – SPEND – DONATE – INVEST.

You might also check out the Savings Spree iPhone app – available for purchase at the App Store. It reinforces all the sound money principles I’ve covered today in a very fun and addicting game for children!

The great people at Money Savvy Generation want to help your children get smart about money, too! They are giving away a complete home kit to one lucky reader! It includes all the learning materials we reviewed, PLUS a free signature divided bank. Choose from any of the 5 colored pigs, a football, soccer ball, cow or football.

Buttons Diapers Wet Bag Review & Giveaway

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Buttons Diapers has recently added wet bags in three different sizes to their online store. Smalls are $7.00, mediums are $10.50 and larges are $17.00.

I received a large wet bag in the pebble (gray) polka dot print to review. It’s made to hold about 6 diapers at a time, which I found to be a very good estimate. Buttons wet bags are designed in the USA and made in China:

Before washing, the large bag measured approximately 14×14. After laundering and drying it shrunk to about 13×13.  Because the outside layer is cotton, the bag doesn’t hold its shape as perfectly as a 100% PUL bag will.

Buttons wet bags include a couple of nice features:

  • A fabric hanging loop that snaps open and closed
  • Two layers of fabric for extra durability
  • Two pockets: one waterproof and one non-waterproof
I like using the non-waterproof second compartment for holding 1 or 2 clean diapers, or maybe even some wipes, a change of baby clothes or even mama cloth. I also like how smooth and easy the zippers are to operate; we’ve owned wet bags in the past that either have tiny little zippers that are hard to grab, or zippers that don’t run smoothly. The Buttons zipper has a nice little fabric tag to grab onto.
The larger main compartment is lined with white PUL. The smaller second compartment is lined with the polka dot cotton fabric:
There are only two colors available right now – pebble or apple – but as with the covers, I’m sure Buttons will be adding more in the future. I’m happy with the gray polka dot print and think it’s extremely cute and chic.If you haven’t discovered Buttons yet, I encourage you to check out this brand. I’ve bought two more of their wonderful covers (you can read the full review here) and love how soft and durable the PUL is. They are my go-to nighttime cover. At just $11, they are extremely affordable, and with lots of new colors added to the catalog, it’s now even more fun to shop there! And the family behind Buttons is one of the nicest you’ll ever meet; their service is always prompt, personal and helpful.One reader will receive a large wet bag, just like I reviewed, in the color of her choice. This giveaway is open to both U.S. and Canadian readers. Thank you so much, Buttons Diapers!!

 

 

 

 

 

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Tiny Love Take Along Bouncer Review & Giveaway

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Welcome to the New Year, New Baby Giveaway Hop, hosted by Mama’s Baby Cupcakes and co-hosted by So Easy Being Green and Viva Veltoro! Join us in celebrating the New Year and Michelle’s new baby girl born this December! This hop is focused on items for babies aged newborn to one year. After entering my giveaway, you can use the linky to hop around the other blogs! Each prize is worth at least $25.00.

Tiny Love’s newest bouncer has been aptly named the “Take Along” because it’s lightweight and quick to pack and travel with. I received a Take Along bouncer in exchange for an honest review and was very eager to see how we liked it!

There’s no assembly required. I pulled it out of the box and popped it open. The gray and red color is scheme is very neutral and the overall design is quite sleek and modern:

I found the triangle-shaped base to be very sturdy, and it doesn’t take up too much floor space.

Other nice features include a cover that’s easily removed for washing, mesh sides for good airflow and a mechanism on the back that very clearly shows you whether the seat is locked or unlocked. To fold up you simply press a button on the front, push down on the front of the seat and unlock the back. The seat pretty much folds up on its own from there and lies almost flat for storage.

The Take Along Bouncer is designed for ages 0 to 12 months and Erik was 9 months when we first tested out this seat, however I think the ideal age is definitely 0 to 6 months. He likes bouncing in the seat but usually needs a toy to keep him interested or he starts getting squirmy. After Erik hit the 10-month mark, I passed our Tiny Love bouncer on to my younger sister who has a 2-month-old girl. She called me to say they love the bouncer for several reasons. Like us, she found that the base is very sturdy, so the seat is safe and stays put. Also, with the open front, it’s easy to put baby in or take baby out (no toys, bars, etc. in the way). The angle of the seat is also just right for young infants; they can recline comfortably yet still look around and see what’s going on.

The Take Along bouncer seat includes a big gray storage bag with a red drawstring which I found was useful for keeping it clean and protected, but it’s not comfortable to carry because the drawstring is very long and thin. It would be fantastic if the carry bag had a wider strap, or was shaped more like a tote bag or backpack you could easily sling over your shoulder.

The Take Along Bouncer is available at your favorite baby gear retailer and sells for just $39.99-44.99. You can watch a video of the Take Along Bouncer in action on YouTube.

And you can enter to win one of your own in the New Baby Near Year giveaway hop! Use the entry form below, and then hop around to the other participating blogs for more prizes!

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Ella Bella Bum Pocket Diaper Review and Giveaway

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Ella Bella Bum is a Canadian brand of cloth diapers which is well-known for embellished pockets featuring designer wrap-around prints and embroidery, trendy designs and bold coordinating colors.  A “work at home mom” enterprise created by the artistic and very talented Sam Campbell, Ella Bella Bum has expanded greatly over the years but still holds true to its small business roots by relying on a dedicated little team of diaper makers and assistants.

The complimentary creation that Sam sent me features an alien print on the wings and a yellow body.

Inside, the lining is a vivid orange athletic jersey fabric. I discovered this fabric doesn’t hold on to stains, is easy to rinse #2 messes off of and has a wicking effect -which means wetness is carried quickly away from your baby’s skin and down into the inserts.

Ella Bella Bum pockets are designed to fit from approximately 15 to 35 pounds and retail for $21 to $35 each, depending on the embellishments. With our diaper, Sam included an adjustable insert and extra booster. Using snaps, the insert can be shortened or lengthened before you stuff it inside the pocket.

Inserts are constructed with a top layer of soft bamboo and Zorb (a modern and highly absorbent synthetic diapering fabric) underneath. When the adjustable insert is folded over you get six total layers of bamboo fleece. The extra booster features stitching around the edges and middle to help channel wetness; you can stuff it into the pocket along with the other, or just lay it right against your baby.

Now, the first time I stuffed the insert into the pocket, I was surprised to feel something soft inside. After turning the diaper inside out, I realized that there’s a little fleece buffer between each snap and the outer shell for some extra leakage protection. These photos also show how the cut of the diaper tapers just a bit up front, which gives it that signature Ella Bella Bum super trim fit:

In my weeks of testing, I haven’t found one flaw in this diaper. Admittedly, the bamboo fabric does take time to reach peak absorbency. After five pre-washes, I wasn’t able to use it for Susanna’s nap time. Sam recommends at least ten washes, and this week we finally hit the mark! Two-year-old Susanna can now wear it for many hours and it’s become one of the most absorbent diapers in my stash.

And here’s how it fits:

 

And now…..the giveaway! Sam is going to send one lucky Zephyr Hill reader this amazing Sneaky Raccoons embellished pocket diaper (value $28) PLUS an insert/booster combo pack (value $12.75)! Enter to win below.

 

Entry form:
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Bumkins AIO Diaper Review & Giveaway

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It’s not often I get to try an AIO (All-in-One) diaper, but they truly are one of the most convenient styles you can use. Why? The AIO diaper is designed to be as close to a disposable as possible – in terms of convenience. It’s the kind of cloth diaper you simply put on and go. There’s nothing to fold or pin. Inserts are already attached to the diaper for you.

Thanks Mama was kind enough to send me the Bumkins All-In-One diaper. It’s a newer design which features snap closure; previously there was a hook & loop option as well. Moderately priced at $16.95, the Bumkins AIO comes in lots of fun colors and prints – the most notable being the zany Dr. Seuss-inspired fabrics!

I picked out the Turtle print because it’s very cute and gender-neutral:

True to the philosophy behind All-in-One’s, our Bumkins diaper is super easy to use. Half of the bamboo/cotton soaker is sewn into the middle of diaper; the other half can be folded down once to lay on top, or stuffed into the (optional) pocket. There are also two snaps on the soaker which allow you to snap it to the shell after it’s stuffed.

Around the edges of the sewn-in soaker, the lining is white stay-dry microfleece and the outer is waterproof TPU, which I find is a bit softer and smoother than PUL. There are two rows of snaps for fastening at the rise which translate to three size settings (small, medium and large).

Here’s what I really like about this AIO. The sewn-in soaker is made of natural fibers, so that’s right against my baby’s skin. Also, because only half of the soaker is attached, the drying time is a little quicker than a typical All-in-One. Plus, with the insert completely attached to the diaper I never have to hunt for or match up inserts on laundry day. I also like the trim fit, square tabs and hip snaps on the waist band.

The first time Erik wore the Bumkins AIO I stuffed the soaker into the pocket. He completely saturated the diaper and because the pocket opening is at the front of the diaper where all the wetness was I wondered “Am I going to have to reach my hand in there to pull out the drenched soaker?” It wasn’t a pleasant thought, so I left it in there….and washed all my diapers. Fortunately, the soaker agitated out of the pocket opening on its own.

If I could change just one thing, it would be to boost the absorbency of this diaper a bit. At best, Erik can go 2 hours in it. Susanna, my toddler, is really pushing it at 2 hours. Admittedly, the fit is super trim, but this isn’t a diaper I would use for naps or any other time they will wear it more than a couple of hours.

Still, it gets HUGE points for cuteness and a super trim fit!

And now….here’s how it fits! Erik is on the medium setting, at 17 pounds and 11 months old:

 

Susanna is 2 and wearing it at the largest setting. As you can see, at this age/weight, you might get a low-rise kind of fit. My 3 year old (Samuel) is over 30 pounds and it’s too small for him. My children are small to average, so I would estimate the weight range for the Bumkins AIO of newborn to 25 or 30 pounds. So the range doesn’t appear to be quite as generous as other “one size” diapers which accommodate 35 pounds or more.

And now, let me share with you a little about today’s diaper review sponsor!

If you haven’t shopped at Thanks Mama yet, they are a family-owned and operated natural baby and cloth diapering store. Their extensive selection includes diapers, trainers, natural baby care products, baby carriers, bibs and toys, nursery furniture and bedding, strollers and lots more! Thanks Mama is always looking for the latest and greatest products that are beneficial for babies and the Earth. And they know that many families are on a budget so you won’t have to look far to find great sales, discounts and free shipping (over $60).

One of the neatest things I’ve found at Thanks Mama is their package deals; many diaper brands are sold in bundles with excellent bulk discounts built in. Some of these packages even include freebies like extra inserts or cloth diapering accessories! 

At Thanks Mama you also get easy 90-day returns and their Buy Safe and Price Guarantees. Thanks Mama ships worldwide!

You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter, their blog, Pinterest or Google +. There are weekly giveaways, occasional Twitter parties and lots of natural parenting and green living resources.

And now…the great folks at Thanks Mama are giving one of my readers a Bumkins AIO in choice of color or print! This giveaway is open to both US and Canada.

 

 

 

 

 

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