Parents who are worried about "children's pocket money"
Every time a child asks for pocket money, a small conflict arises in my heart. How much is appropriate to give, and at what age should I start... As a parent, I think that I will not spoil too much or I will not feel dissatisfied with too little.
While managing my monthly household budget, I was also worried about how to position my pocket money. With soaring food and utility costs, even though I could not afford it, a new item called "pocket money" was added to it. There were nights when I was staring at the household account book and wondering how to balance it.
Another problem is how children use money. They use it all at once for dagashi or beg for toys they want. Since it is not possible to use it systematically like an adult, I want to interfere with "Is this okay?" However, if you do not let them use it freely, you will not develop a sense of money, and even if you limit it too much, you will not learn. I think this is the most difficult part.
What I realized in such a situation is the importance of rules and discussions. For example, make small rules such as keeping a pocket money book and waiting for 3 days to think about what you want without buying it right away. While checking it with parents and children, we learn how to deal with money together. I realized that pocket money is not just a transfer, but an entrance to financial education.
Of course, the situation is different for each family. There is no correct answer to the amount or timing of pocket money. However, I think that parents can be relieved and children can acquire the habit of thinking for themselves by talking with children, "How did you use it?" "What do you want to do next?"
If your child in the future grows up to be a person who can use money systematically, it may be thanks to the habit of pocket money when he was little. If you think so, you can believe that your current troubles will surely not be useless and will lead to great power.
Believing that "small habits can become great power," I am sitting around my desk talking with my children again today.
If you agree, please use it to make pocket money rules tomorrow 📌
私も最初は「お小遣いはいつからスタートするのがいいんだろう？」と迷いました。実際には、子どもの成長や興味に合わせて始めるタイミングが大切だと思います。例えば、小学校入学前後に「お金の使い方」を教え始める家庭もありますし、実際にお小遣いを渡すのは小学校中学年以降からという声も多いようです。 我が家では、夕焼けに差し込む窓辺で子どもとお小遣い帳を囲んで話す時間を設けています。これは単なるお金のやり取りではなく、価値観や計画性を学ぶ大切な時間となっています。子どもにとっても、自分で考えて使う経験は貴重で、「駄菓子を買いすぎたけど、来週は計画的に使おう」という気づきにつながりました。 また、「欲しいものはすぐ買わず三日間考える」などのルールもおすすめです。これにより衝動買いを防ぎ、物を大切にする心も育ちます。そして親も子どもの金銭感覚の成長を見守りやすくなりました。 お小遣いスタートの年齢や金額は家庭の事情によりますが、最も大切なのは親子の対話とルール作りだと感じます。日々の小さな習慣が、将来の自立した金銭感覚につながっていくと信じています。皆さんもまずは親子でお小遣 いの話を始めてみてはいかがでしょうか？
