The Game of Life

Took a trip to Walmart tonight with the kids, my son wanted to buy Life, you remember the game, we all played it as kids.

We came home and played it. My 10 year old son, my 8 year old daughter and I. It was so fascinating to watch the dynamics that went on, they were so excited to land on the buy a house square, they then picked two cards and got to pick the house they wanted.....my son picked the more expensive house and took out a loan to pay for it and did not get insurance, my daughter took the less expensive house, paid cash and bought the insurance.

It is the same in real life, we go shopping and they both bring their money, my son tries every which way to get ME to pay for whatever it is he wants, my daughter carefully adds up what she wants to see if she has enough money or gift cards to purchase it, always being sure she will have money left over in her wallet. It does not matter if they are together or alone with me it is the same scenario, he spends, she saves. He tries to get someone else to buy it, she plans every purchase.

I am not sure what genetic code is present in these two children to make them so diabolically opposite in terms of money, I am trying to teach them to save and plan. She gets it, he does not. She takes after my mother, her grandmother, who plans everything, he takes after his father who would con anyone out of five cents.

My responsibility is to teach them both the value of money, earning it on their own and spending it wisely.