The other week saw me head to London for some exciting blog meetings with fabulous brands Flora, Harrods and Voucher Codes and the Big Smoke was even more sparkly with Christmas decs as far as the eye could see….
All the meetings thankfully revolved around food (my favourite kind of meets), starting with a late breakfast at boulangerie PAUL Bakery with Flora, shortly followed by an incredible chocolatey afternoon tea at Godiva on site when I met with PR Exec, Helen of Harrods.
I’d reviewed a wonderful Harrods hamper for them earlier in the month and had been asked to meet to discuss working with them in the new year…
A chocolate boutique essentially, even the coffee came with a choice of dark, white or milk chocolate for drizzling.
Crème brûlée and a waterfall style chocolate fondue blew us away, and after ironically writing about my approach to healthy eating just that morning on the blog, I instantly felt grateful for my disclaimer that for 10% of the time, I eat exactly what I want! Phew!
After hours of dipping strawberries into luscious chocolate and chatting as if we were old friends, (so wonderful when you meet someone you instantly click with), it was time to head to a Christmas dinner with Voucher Codes! Flipping heck, it’s a hard life being a blogger!
Meeting at The Arch, London, a Georgian boutique hotel to discuss pocket money along with a client of mine Vanessa (Miss Pocket Money) of digital piggy bank Qwiddle, we enjoyed a glass of wine and the festive surroundings! I had to share mr Polar bear too!
Isn’t it pretty?!
The pre-meal discussion with other bloggers invited, and marketing execs from Voucher Codes was around the subject of ‘Children and Family Finances’ and really helped me reflect on my on going goals of teaching my kids the value of money.
…Listening to the other bloggers’ take on pocket money, how to start and the best ways they’ve found to handle it, was inspiring.
Emma from Emma and 3 kicked off the discussion by explaining that her approaches to pocket money vary depending on the age of her children. She said, ‘I have a 14 year old, for whom I pay a direct debit into her bank every month. She’s got her debit card and we give her £10 a week. I give my 10 year old £2.50 in cash every week – but he hoards his, he doesn’t ever spend it.’
Kate from WitWitWoo agreed that her son isn’t interested in spending his pocket money: ‘I give my 10 year old son £3 a week but it is on the proviso he tidies his bedroom. The annoying thing is, he’s not that bothered. Money doesn’t have any effect on him because at the moment, he doesn’t want to buy anything.’ She added ‘I think pocket money is much more important for a 14 year old (like Emma’s daughter) than for a 10 year old.’
I loved Lauren from Mummy is a Gadget Geek approach to younger children-she said that she and her husband talk to their five year old about money in a way which is comprehensible for him.
‘We don’t talk about money randomly, we talk about skips because my other half told him a skip cost £100. So whenever we talk about the value of anything, we talk about it in terms of skips.’
Similarly, Lauren explained that she and her family have a pot of coins they use to demonstrate how much things cost in real terms.
‘Since my son has been about 4 1/2 he’s been able to grasp the concept that if we spend money on something, we might not be able to get something else.’
Ruth from RocknRollerBaby said that she chats to her children about how much things cost when they visit the shops and agreed that she talked openly with her children about money.
I love that she potty trained her daughter with pennies – ‘spend a penny, get a penny’ . Brilliant! Will be ‘stealing’ that with Alexander, 2!
Then it was onto the role of school with money. When it came to education many felt there are huge gaps when it comes to educating kids at school about finance.
I personally feel a TV programme which introduces money to kids in a way that will really resonate with them, allowing learning to begin from a young age and carry through until it’s covered in the curriculum in KS3, is crucial.
John of DadBlogUK said that while financial education should happen at school, the responsibility to teach youngsters about finances shouldn’t just lie within the education sector:
‘It’s all well and good teaching this at school but there’s a balance to be struck. We can’t shirk the responsibilities of teaching this as a parent. You’ve still got that obligation to teach your kids.’
Voucher Codes sent us through some tips based on the discussion I think you’d find useful:
- Use pocket money and allowances as a way to open the discussion about finances within the home. Money is still seen as a massive taboo, which can lead to increasingly negative emotions in youngsters. Adding it into the conversations of daily life makes it less of a big deal.
- If your children are school age, ask if they are learning about money in the classroom, and if so talk about what they’re learning. Are these lessons coming from teachers or peers? It’s easy to then relate what they’re hearing about at school to how things are in the home.
- Consider opening a bank account. Allowing your child to have access to a bank account enables them to see the reality of money and know that the money they have is theirs.
- Though not essential, a bank account with online access can mean your child can see money going in and out of their account.
- Quantify the money in the bank in terms of what they could buy with what they have, or what they could buy if they save further to teach further lessons on delayed gratification. This is a really good way to develop the importance of saving.
- Qwiddle is also an excellent online resource for dealing with pocket money.
- It’s crucial to keep talking about money. Try to make it a regular conversation between all members of the family and remind your kids that if they ever have any questions, they can come to you. Leave it as an open-ended discussion that can be, and is, returned to again and again.
- Use jar labels with ‘spend’ ‘save’ and ‘give’ attached to them and agree rates for setting money aside with your children to teach them the benefits of each.
Here is a fabulous infographic that might inspire too-
On returning home, I’ve stated a pocket money system with my eldest-he now receives £1 a week in return for chores completed throughout the week from dressing himself for school to clearing the table and tidying up his toys. And it’s working, he feels motivated and enjoys saving his money into a piggy bank.
Alexander, 2 is also great at completing household tasks too, he always tidies his bricks away and loves popping rubbish into the kitchen bin so it might be time to start the initial discussions about money with him as well! Never too early, hey!
So much food for thought there and speaking of food…
…I could only make half the meal after the chat, sadly, due to my train (the beetroot and goat’s cheese salad was delightful though) but I was kindly given a doggy bag of sea bass making me the envy of the carriage commuters with their McDonalds, on the way home!
Was lovely seeing so many fab bloggers again-
Here with Vanessa and John before my swift exit!
What a productive, fun day with great brands opening my mind to new things, and lots of exciting work possibilities in the pipeline for 2015.
Watch this space. Literally!
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What a fab day! So love the idea of parent bloggers meeting up, especially in a smaller group than you have at a conference, more time to talk, chill, and learn.
I participated in the #VCFamilyFinances twitter chat whilst you were all having your meal; though it took me a while to realise the chat was during your meal. I just noticed that the chat was slow and my tweets were appearing loads in the chat. I was pleased to have won a £50 Amazon voucher from the chat; I didn’t even know there was anything to be won!.
Anyways, thanks for the post. Love the ‘penny for penny’ potty training idea, I’ve got to find out more about this. I will also like to find out more about Qwiddle, I’ve never heard of it.
Financial education is so vital and I think it’s never too early to start. I opened my little one’s account for him very soon after he was born. Metro bank have a really fun and cool children’s savingS account which really encourages saving every month. It’s also lovely that banks are beginning to provide resources to help parents with financial education. I was fortunate to participate in a Mumsnet Barclays Bank review earlier this year (before I started my blog) and one of the best things I got from it is a brilliant financial education booklet which I’m keeping for the future to use with my son.
So much to consider with the issue of pocket money. I struggle with its use as a reward for chores though I understand the opportunity it presents to teach about earning. I’m big on doing chores as a family contribution opportunity. So glad I have many years to carefully consider this before I have to decide what to do.
You can see i’m passionate about the issue of financial education; but I better stop before I write a blog post! Sorry for my very long comment. #MBPW
Adventures of a Novice Mum recently posted…My 10 months Old didn’t sleep through the night again
Love your passion, well done on winning the voucher too and you are so right, it’s crucial we teach our kids the value of money. I agree chores have always been part of our life but I’m upping what I’m asking for Oliver in return for money and he’s really appreciating it, enjoying saving and counting his money towards his goals. Thanks for your comment x
We give The Boy 50p a week and he has to help clear the table after dinner, load the washing machine and empty the dishwasher in order to earn it. Invariably he saves that and I just pay for whatever. However, if he would like a specific app on the iPad and it’s a £2.99 one which I don’t think is educationally beneficial, then I ask him to pay for it from his pocket money. He also had to use his pocket money to buy us a small present this Christmas. Normally we let him choose whatever and we pay, but this year we set a £5.00 limit on what he bought for us and he used his pocket money. I think it helps him to see the value of money when it’s not just mummy and daddy’s money he’s spending, but his own money.
Shockingly, my 11 yr old niece and 9yr old nephew don’t have pocket money. My sister says she can’t afford to give them a decent amount to make it worthwhile, but I argue frequently with her about how they are going to learn the value of money if they don’t have any themselves.
TheBoyandMe recently posted…Merry Christmas!
Love that, Oliver has always been really good about chores pre pocket money but giving him the extra incentive along with valuing money more, even in the short weeks we’ve started it, has been brilliant.
A very very amazing topic to touch! I wish we can learn and read about this topic more =) #mbpw
Merlinda Little ( @pixiedusk) recently posted…Transition
Thanks very much 🙂
It was great to see you again Vicki and wasn’t it a great discussion? I fear you did miss out on a great main course though! Until the next time.
JOhn Adams recently posted…Panto klaxon! Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
I took it with me John! Lovely seeing you!
Ah I was invited to the vouchercode dinner! What a shame I couldn’t go we would have had such a giggle! Can’t wait to meet up in the New Year. Have an amazing Christmas lovely lady xxxxx
brummymummyof2 recently posted…Merry Christmas!
Aw such a shame, I couldn’t stay long. Yay to meeting up in 2015 sweetie, Merry Christmas xx
I love a bloggy day out in London! Especially one involving food like yours! Glad you had fun x
JuggleMum, Nadine Hill (@Businessmum) recently posted…Tip Of The Week: Prepare To Dazzle At Your Christmas Party!
So fun huh x
Wow, what a fantastic day!!! http://www.hiddenfreckles.com
It was thanks!
honestmum recently posted…Blogger Meetings In London
Thanks, it was 🙂
Sounds like a very productive day and I look forward to seeing the exciting posts in the new year! x
Laura Evelyn Bee recently posted…Blogmas – 20.12.14
Thanks very much lovely Laura x
What a lovely post. Really enjoyed the chocolate-related descriptions. Thank you, too for the money management tips for kids. 🙂
As a new blogger it’s so encouraging to read about other bloggers’ successes and day-to-day lives.
Best wishes from Italy,
Rossi from http://www.rossiwrites.com
That’s so kind Rossi, my pleasure and thanks so much for your lovely comment, will go check out your blog now xx
Oh what a wonderful day! I was meant to be at the Voucher Codes meal but my Husband’s shifts changed last minute, would have been lovely to meet you x
Oh no, would have loved to meet you. 2015 for sure x
Looks like a fab day, awesome food (chocolate & marshmallow, hello!?) and really interesting topic of discussion x
emma recently posted…Trying to get pregnant
I know, best kind of meeting! The pocket money discussion was really inspiring!x
Wow what a day. Definitely some topics I need to think about with my kids.
Thanks, it was a whirlwind of a day x
Sounds like a great day, with lots of opportunities in the new year. Pocket money for star chart of chores might be a good way to get N to do his chores!
Emma T recently posted…Upcoming Water Babies swimming graduation
Really helping here! x
What a treat! Sounds like a very productive day Vicki. I’m really keen on our littles learning the value of money and our eldest earns pocket money for completing her star chart each week. Great tips too x
Michelle Reeves (bod for tea) recently posted…How to make chocolate truffles from cake crumbs
Oh fab, star charts are great aren’t they, must start using ours again in the new year x