Raising a Non-Material Girl (or Boy) in a Material World

In response to the 5,000-message-a-day onslaught of advertising from all sides; online, onscreen and even on the school bus, financial consultant Nathan Dungan prescribes the “Share Save Spend” program to prevent materialism from taking hold of your kids.

The program is designed to help kids get resist advertising and understand the value of money and how to use it wisely. It works like this: children are given an allowance at age five and are required to save one quarter of the funds, share one quarter, and spend only half of the funds. The approach is based on research that shows people who understand how to save and share are generally happier and healthier. (More on the program and links after the jump.)

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The system includes a 24-hour delay in making purchases. This time period allows kids to avoid impulse buying and to learn about delayed gratification as well as how to make planned purchases.

Planned purchases also means putting kids in charge of their own money early on also combats the in-store nagging we parents get hammered with. If a child really wants an item, he can simply save up for it. The wait allows for the child to think about the purchase and if it is worth it.

The emphasis on saving, Dungan insists, will help combat the current trend among adults aged 35 and younger to average -16% savings. Negative.

The sharing piece of the program is designed to teach children to think of others’ needs, whether that is sharing in family expenses or choosing a meaningful cause to support. Sharing helps build self-esteem as well as an opportunity to learn perspective and values in a culture that too often pushes our children in the opposite direction.

You can learn more about Nathan Dungan and his Share Save Spend program here.

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