Sometimes it is overwhelming to think about all there is to teach the girls. I get one shot at raising them right. Now, I am not sure there is necessarily one way to get it right, but I can follow my instincts and do the things I feel are important.
Education is one of them. I want my children to have a wealth of knowledge and wisdom to help guide them into adulthood. So I hatched a plan. Each month I will have a required reading book which they will read and then write an essay on. The books will vary in genre, sometimes fiction, sometimes biographical, sometimes historical, and other times informational. I will evaluate carefully and select a book that I feel will be full of impact.
The January Required Reading Book was...
drumroll...
~A Smart Girl's Guide~
Money
How to make it, save it, and spend it.
It's never too early to learn the ins and outs of finances. Each of my children have their own savings account which I deposit money into weekly. They are able to withdrawal money from their accounts to buy things they want or need as they wish. When they turn 14, they will get a checking account with a debit card. I want them to be so comfortable at managing their own finances that it is second nature by the time they reach adulthood. This book, I felt, would help them realize the importance of managing money and give them new ideas and insight.
I gave the girls four questions to address in their essay:
1. What was the required reading book and what was it about?
2. Why do they feel I chose this book?
3. What did they learn from it?
4. How will they apply what they learned into their daily lives?
All three girls finished reading the book by the January 31st deadline and once the essays were submitted I chose a winner. This month it was Alexandra and she was rewarded with a shopping trip to the mall yesterday afternoon.
Ready, set, read!
