We think we have some good news to share: We believe children can become mini-superheroes in your family’s fight against inflation. How so? Well, what we observe every week in workshop, is that when children learn how not to waste money on purchases they may end up regretting, they also become ready and able to help their parents spend as carefully as possible, at the grocery store, the movie theatre, even on holiday gifts. Kids feel empowered and parents feel understood. Perfect timing huh?
This winter holiday season is shaping up to be the trickiest one in a while. Food, heating, and borrowing costs are up, not to mention the price of typical holiday fare such as gift-giving or travel. Families are feeling the pressure to maintain holiday traditions with less disposable income. But if you reflect upon your own childhood, how many grade, middle or high school holiday gifts can you now recall? For most of us, the answer is one, maybe two.
So, take the pressure off yourself, your kids, and your wallet. Early in the game, ask your children (or grandchildren, nieces, and nephews), to really think about the one thing they might like to receive for an upcoming holiday or birthday gift. Ask them to research (big word for a low-effort task) how much money will be required to purchase that gift, including costs like sales tax and shipping. Ask them to anticipate how much they will really use or appreciate the item or experience in question.
Then and only then, will you need to think about what the art of the possible is, in terms of how much you can afford. Because we see children stop themselves from asking for gifts that might not make sense for their family all the time. Our free and safe tool, the DIMS Score Calculator, was specifically designed to help kids quickly, but not arbitrarily, consider and compare potential purchases. They enjoy using it because it helps them avoid buyer’s remorse and fear-of-missing-out in real time.
