Lessons from the Lemonade Stand

It began with a lemonade stand at a friend's garage sale. Much to my disappointment, only a few quarters were collected from the sales. Apparently two cute kids was not enough to tempt more adults to enjoy a cool citrus refreshment. Regardless, my daughter brought her little treasure home. I added more quarters to the sale and laid out ten coins in front of her.

"How much of this should we give to Jesus?" I asked. She studies the shiny caribous on the table and sets aside four. "Good for you! You are being quite generous!"

Wow, giving 40% of her income away! I thought. Should I advise her to only give just the minimum 10%? Or a more risky 20%? Hmmmm...

I decide to let her take the lead and move on to my explanation, "When we give to Jesus, we are giving to places like the church. Or we use the money to help the poor. Or we send money to our Compassion child. What are some ways you can give to Jesus?"

"I could give it to MOPS," she offers.

"You are right. We can help out the Mom's group at our church."

"Or, I could give it AWANA. They can use it to buy glue or things like that."

I smile at how important glue is to a preschooler's brain, "Good job!"

I begin collecting the remaining six coins. "So, let's save the rest of the money for something special. What do you think that could be?"

"Maybe one of those little bags of candy?" she suggests.

Candy? Come one girl! Instead, I respond, "Now, let's try not to just spend ALL the money on candy. Is there anything that you need?" All the while I wonder, how do I communicate needs versus wants to a preschooler?

"Clothes?" she offers.

"Good! That's great!"

"I could buy shorts for my brother and a tie for Daddy," she concludes.

"Oh, that is so sweet of you," I grin.

Forward the time to now, a week or so later, where I reflect on the lessons taught by my daughter in regards to money. I thought I was the teacher. Instead, my daughter humbled me in the area of finances. Here is what I've learned:

1. Be ridiculously generous when it comes to "Giving to Jesus". As Evangelical Christians, we often become legalistic about sticking to the traditional 10% tithe. Furthermore, we can be lead to believe that "Giving to Jesus" only means writing a cheque to the local church. The more I walk through life, the more I realize that giving cannot be boiled down to a simple formula. Instead, we need to take time to listen to the Holy Spirit and let Him guide us towards radical giving. My daughter gave 40% of her income without hesitation. My generosity pales in comparison.
2. Give to causes you are passionate about. There are many organizations out there that are seeking your charitable donation. I believe we are wired with individual interests and passions. Thus, different people will allocate their money differently than others. Therefore, it is counterproductive to make people feel guilty when they do not contributing to causes that don't resonate with them. For instance, AWANA and MOPS are very important in my daughter's world. It may not important be in the world of your preschooler. And that is okay.
3. Wants do not need to be extravagant. Sometimes I feel guilty when I indulge in a Latte or delectable treat from a bakery. After all, that money could have been better spent elsewhere. Yet, my daughter reminds me it is okay to enjoy the simple pleasures in life at a minimal cost. She could have suggested something outrageously expensive (and she may one day), like a fancy doll house or some hand held gizmo. But she didn't. She just wanted a little bag of candy.
4. Think of others. Apparently my son needs some shorts and my husband needs a tie. It is beautiful to witness my daughter thinking of others. I know that is not easy for her. Sadly, our sin nature predisposes us to think of ourselves over others. I thank God for His grace that enables us to think outside ourselves.

I desire for my children to intentially learn about giving (as opposed to hoping they pick up the lessons by themselves). I understand that my husband and I need to teach them to be wise stewards through word and deed. And they also need to immerse themselves in God's Word to soak up His truth. Yet, I do not have all the answers and need advice. Here are some questions for you. Maybe you could help?

1. When is it appropriate to give a child an allowance? Or is it even necessary?
2. What are some ways you encourage your children to save and to give?
3. How much guidance should you give your children in purchasing items with their own money? How do you help them distinguish between needs and wants?

I look forward to hearing from you.