It was featured on television several days ago that children in school are being taught how to handle money. Grade five kids made presentations on such grown-up topics as “Which is better for you- buy a house or rent an apartment?” or “What to buy or not to buy when you are in the mall.”
I thought this was a very sensible idea making children money-wise. North America is one of the well-developed parts of the world wherein people enjoy relative peace, bountiful food and substantial shelter for most of its people. Most of the youngsters get what they want especially at Christmas, birthdays, Easter and other holidays wherein adults feel generous to give. Many of them have too much, that gifts are abandoned without care after a few days. Then they think of some things new that they saw on television ads and demand that their parents get them as soon as possible.
This is a throw-away society. Every year when a new model of cell phones and cameras come out, the issues of previous years are cast off by many in favor of the new. The new ones usually have more features. One friend of mine remarked that she had not even mastered the mechanisms of her old cell phone and it is already considered obsolete.
Television broadcasters often advise not to go shopping for food when you are hungry. You buy more than what you need. They are forgotten in the fridge and they spoil. We get tempted to get more meat because it is on sale and they develop frost in the freezer. Fruits become overripe and invite those little flies that are very annoying. Candies from last Easter harden in the jars and are thrown away.
The same is true with appliances. A new model of television is so tempting that the old one which is still operating very well is cast aside for a new one. It is especially easy to get a new model because you are given a year, or even two years to pay for it.
The new models of kitchen appliances are the steel-colored. People know your stove, dishwasher, washing-machine or dryer are old because of their colour.
The same is true with clothes and shoes. There is always a new colour of the year and style. Women wear these six-inch heels no matter how uncomfortable to be fashionable, to belong, to become one of the group.
All these material things are easy to get as long as you carry the plastic card. Get what you want and worry about paying later. But the later accumulates and comes too soon. Tempers in the home go up because of financial worries. Constant bickerings lead to violence and separation. Children get neglected and often fall to bad company, alcohol and drugs.
Many people do not think of tomorrow because they feel that retirement pensions will take care of those days. But retirement is not all that we should save for. We can be sick and be unable to work. We can lose our job due to hard times. Our children are growing up and their expenses increase. Tuition fees in colleges and universities have soared. Students get out of school up in neck on student debts that their first years working are indeed difficult years. Is this one of the reasons many of them do not get married and assume the responsibilities of a wedded life?
I was brought up by my maternal grandmother who tried to instill in me her own beliefs. That was an age when credit cards were not heard of. She taught me that if I earn three centavos, I have to keep aside one of them. I wore my clothes until they were faded and torn. I learned to darn and sew buttons at a very early age. I started earning money when I was twelve. That would be considered child labour today but I remember that it was a happy time in my life. I learned the value of money early in life.
It is indeed necessary that the value of money should be taught early in life. I have a grandniece who keeps three piggy banks. One is for her savings, the next is for giving away to help others and the third one I for buying something she really wants, She can not get anything that she cannot pay for from her third piggy bank. She thinks of the less fortunate when she dispenses with her money from her second piggy bank.
We are indeed fortunate that we belong to a society that is relatively peaceful, friendly and generous. We have organizations, government and non-government that assist the vulnerable, disabled and destitute. We are relatively safe in our communities. We are a people who are hard working and equally generous. Very few among us live beyond our means. It is hoped that we do not abuse the use of our credit cards and think of the rainy days ahead.
Rosalina E. Bustamante