What To Tell Your Kids About Money - The 7 Essential Lessons
by Rachel Incoll

If I had a dollar for every time I have been asked by a parent what to tell your kids about money, I'd be a millionaire. There are many different aspects of money management you can & should tell your children about. Here I will share with you what I believe are seven of the most important principles

1. Money can be exchanged for goods or services.

This is one of the first few lessons you should teach your child once they are old enough to understand - usually around the age of 3 years. Next time you go down to the corner store to buy one or two items, let your child hand the money to the cashier. By doing so, they will gain a greater appreciation of the concept of being able to exchange money for things you want or need.

2. One should be careful with money.

Some people I know, seem to think that any coins with a value under 50 cents are just too small to be bothered using, and so when cleaning out their loose change from around the house will simply throw these smaller coins in the bin. What a waste! Encourage your child to be careful with all denominations of money, and show them how those small coins can add up, by starting a family small coins box. Maybe you could use the money to fund small family outings (a trip to the shop to get ice creams).

3. Money has to be earned.

There are many people in the world these days that don't seem to have ever learned this lesson. They sit around home and expect handouts so they can live, or turn to a life of crime to fund their existence. Be careful not to give your child money every time he or she asks, without expecting anything in return i.e. completion of household chores.

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Go, Speed Racer, Go!
by A Dude's Guide on May 16th

Are you kidding me? I mean, seriously. Are you frakking kidding me? I just took my youngest dude! to see the Speed Racer movie and, let me tell you, despite all the horrible reviews that movie received, it was one of the most amazing things I’ve seen in — maybe — years.

All I can think of is, um, ah, someone’s acid trip. Not that I did any acid, mind you, but from what I hear, Speed Racer is almost exactly like that. It’s not that the entire movie reminds me of a hallucination, it’s just that it seems so. . . vivid. It’s like neon signs decided to take over the world and then go racing.

While Speed Racer received a huge number of horrible reviews, most centering around its length (and it does clock in at more than two hours), I can’t really blame it for that. My little dude (at age sat through the whole thing with his mouth gaping open and his eyes glued to the screen. I can’t decide which was more fun: watching the movie or watching my little dude watching the movie.

Do yourselves a favor, go see this movie. You won’t regret it.

– Richard

A Dude's Guide is a supposed to be a funny and insightful look into what it takes for a Dude to be a better person. We are not saying that we are exceptional, insightful or funny people; but we try. We will use our experiences and adventures and misadventures to try to help other Dude's learn and contribute to this blog. Subscribe to A Dude's Guide blog for fatherhood advice and topics from Daddy Dudes!