Kids, Money and Early Life Lessons
By Sharon Munroe
My 4-year old son is in what I call the “I want stage,” perhaps the start of more to come. Each day there’s a new want for a toy, book, sneakers, often prompted by a preschool classmate or so he says. (He doesn’t watch TV or movies
What’s a parent to do? His birthday is more than 6 months away!
I found this wonderful poster and infographic online from moneyasyougrow.org and I am using it for ideas and moral support!
Most importantly, the understanding of money will change as a child grows. For the 3 to 5 year old set, there are exercises along the lines of these four principles:
- YOU NEED MONEY to buy things.
- You earn money by WORKING.
- You may have to WAIT BEFORE YOU CAN BUY something you want.
- There’s a difference between THINGS YOU WANT and NEED.
- This is the big one and here are some suggested activities to use with our 3 to 5 year olds.
ACTIVITIES TO HELP YOUR KIDS REACH THIS MILESTONE
- When you are out shopping, point out
essentials such as food and clothing, and ask your child to describe items that she may want but are optional. - Talk about how your family decides what to buy and what to pass up. Which is more important, buying cookies or fresh fruit? Soda or milk?
- Draw a circle and divide it into sections for food, rent or house payments, clothes, and “optional items,” to show that there is a finite amount of money to spend.
By Sharon Munroe
When producing this top 40-ranking video for the National Retail Federation’s This is Retail Contest, I was asked to complete the following sentences as they relate to my experience as the owner of Little Green Beans.
I’m most proud of the initiative we take daily to build a great customer experience. Smiling is the start.
I’d love to spend a lazy day reading fiction or non-fiction on a topic that’s relevant and brand new to me.
The most gratifying part of working in retail is the personal connections I make with customers, helping them with unmet needs for their young families.
My first paying job was as an associate at The Limited, which taught me best practices in customer service and merchandising.
What I most want my elected officials to know about retail is that we as independent retailers make a very significant contribution to the local economy.
During the holiday season, I am energized by the pace of the retail business and seek to create a “wow” factor for my customers.
The Value of Tri-Lingual Education
By Sharon Munroe
As a children’s store owner, people always ask me about my kids. Where are they when I am working? My children attend preschool while my husband and I work full time.
Around age 2, I started to consider how to bring more structure to my son’s day. He loved (and still loves) to play. He’s bright and creative. He was just ready for more school and learning than day care.
My husband and I thought a lot about the school choices, and there are many in Greater Austin. We kept coming back to international schools with strong language immersion programs.
- Having learned Spanish starting at age 12 and Japanese at age 19, I found it a bit of a challenge to speak new languages. My husband too had learned Spanish in high school, only to forget most of it, when we need it most, in the workplace.
- We are very fluent in English (only) and both love to read and write. Learning a second (or third) language in junior high school or college is a lot harder we found and we never gained fluency.
I discovered that Austin had a number of language immersion programs and courses. Some started at age 3, others were in South Austin (and fairly inconvenient for daily trips). I knew that beginning a second language at age 2 going on 3 was desirable for overall development of my child’s mind.
Then I read about The Austin International School, the tri-lingual program that is accredited by The French Ministry of Education and NAEYC, the accrediting body for preschools in the U.S. We had to check it out and were glad we did!
- Not only does it provide the structure we were seeking but literally our son is immersed in three languages and multiple cultures daily.
- At age 4, he is taught 60% in French, 20% in Spanish and 20% in English by native speakers. During free time such as lunch and after-school he speaks primarily English.
AIS has an international focus. Last week, the 4-year-olds were learning about French Guyana and insects in all 3 languages. The typical school day runs from 8:40-3:00PM for preschoolers. Occasional field trips are much anticipated.
Families from AIS hail not only from France and other French-speaking countries but also from Spain. Many families are multi-cultural and love the fact that AIS is a “melting pot” and welcoming of all cultures.
AIS currently goes through the 5th grade and a middle school is being planned. The School now has room for expansion with a beautiful new campus in North Austin that is opening next month.
If giving your child the opportunity to learn multiple languages and cultures at an early age is a fit for them and your family, I highly recommend checking out AIS!
