Reaching Higher Homeschool Ezine, Issue #031 - Teaching Children ~ Economy & Finances

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Issue #31 - August 2009

Teaching Children ~ Economy & Finances

On Cape Talk a few day’s ago there was a discussion around the estimated number of people who have lost jobs since the economic downturn beginning last October. While South Africa has escaped most of the direct impact of the American fallout, we have, however, still felt the ripple effects.

Teaching our children to be financially savvy is one of those things that parents can hope to pass onto their children by lifestyle choices, but we prefer to be more proactive in this area and teach our children to be wise stewards with their money as well as to understand the ebb and flow of the world economy.

But over and above this we try to encourage our children’s natural passions, interests and delights to develop with the aim of guiding them into self employment as adults.

Advice

Why would we encourage our children to become entrepreneurs? Here are a few simple reasons:

1. Family relationships – generally self employed people are able to run their businesses from home. This promotes family stability and being together.
2. Living outside the corporate structure – Men who are bound to the corporate world have two very different worlds that they live in. Dog eat dog rules out there and affects a man’s worldview. When the home is the base, a man can run his business according to his own, hopefully biblical, principles.
3. Young moms – as woman who will eventually be raising (and again hopefully) homeschooling their children, a young mom can choose a business to run from home which will not compromise being home with her children.
4. Creating employment for others – when adults become entrepreneurs they are able to create employment for others, whether directly through employing them or indirectly through service related extensions of their business.

Free Printables

This month we have added some free maths worksheets for the lower grades. These were created by a fellow homeschooling mom for us to use. You can download the worksheets from our free printable page

Products

Here are some books that we have used in our homes to further our goals of educating our children about the world economy, how God sees money and learning wise stewardship of their time, income and talents.

Whatever Happened to Penny Candy? An Uncle Eric Book.

A great way to introduce your young adults to the world of economics. Written with humor and drawing on the Austrian and Monetarist schools of economic theory. Written as a series of letters to Chris from his Uncle Eric. Covers topics such as the history of money, inflation, boom and bust cycles, Get Rick Quick schemes, depressions and much more.

Money Matters for Kids, by Larry Burkett

For 7 – 10 year olds. Covers the basics of stewardship, honesty, giving, spending, debt and credit, budgeting and planning.

Money Matters for Teens, Larry Burkett

This book is written to 15 – 18 year olds who are already looking at career planning. Working through it with my 15 year old, there have been many lessons for me to learn too! I wish I had read this book as a teen…Wendy.

51 ways for 13 year olds to make money

Are you looking for some ideas to spark your children’s imagination when it comes to making some cash? Jobs for 13 year olds is written by a seasoned mom whose children all start earning, saving and investing from 10 years…well worth the money. This is an ebook.

Start an online business

Are your older children ready for a bigger challenge? And how about you mom? Sitesell E-learning is the way to go. Wendy’s daughter started her website through Sitesell at 14 years of age and 8 months down the line it is beginning to earn her an income. Perhaps this is for you? Visit Jessica’s site www.learn-about-horses.com to see what she has achieved.

Websites

In the theme of things, do yourself a favour and read some of the encouraging articles found at Millionare Kids…really inspiring!

Footprints News

We have recently had a spate of questions around curriculum and pricing as families on one income are struggling. These are some of them:

You know, we're a single-income homeschool family and we're on a very strict budget!"

Can we share your program as we are trying to cut costs?

Can we buy your program second hand?

We are frugally minded and want to save as much on education as we can…

We have two articles written with our responses to this type of query but they are also full of helpful information for frugal homeschooling families.

Investing in Homeschooling

Frugal Homeschooling Tips

Curriculum Expo season is drawing near. The Western Cape Expo will be held on the 26th of September. The Johannesburg Expo is scheduled for the 7th of November. KZN and Port Elizabeth are both scheduled for the 17th of October.

Till next month, we wish you every blessing

Wendy and Shirley

www.south-african-homeschool-curriculum.com

Footprints On Our Land - South African Homeschool Curriculum

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