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"Live so that when your children think of fairness and
integrity, they think of you."
-- H. Jackson Brown, Jr.--
We think of integrity as doing the right thing when no
one is looking. Does this hold true for money, too?
Share with your children the money values you'd like
them to carry into adulthood. We have opportunities
to teach our children, even in unexpected ways!
Consider a few quick scenarios.
1. You find a $100 bill as you enter a local grocery
store. Would you ask Customer Service if anyone has
reported losing any money recently, and what amount it
was?
2. You arrive home and discover a puppy sitting on your
front doorstep. He has no tags on him. You bring him in
out of the cold and keep him for the night. The next
day, you discover his particular breed is worth $1800.
Would you attempt to locate his owners as you might if
he were a mutt?
3. You place a health & beauty order through a coworker,
and she mistakenly thinks you've already paid her for
it. Would you give her the money you owe anyway, or
would you keep quiet?
4. You and your family have just eaten a meal out. Due
to several factors, it was not as enjoyable as you had
hoped. The bill arrives, and you notice some items were
left off the bill. Would you pay it without saying
anything?
5. You're living a frugal lifestyle. You agree to join
family members for a meal out to celebrate mom's
birthday. Do you order frugally, yet chip in a fair
share for mom's meal? Or do you skip contributing to
mom's meal and have others cover the entire portion?
6. Your last paycheck was $600 more than it should have
been. While deciding whether to notify Payroll at work,
your spouse spends the entire $600. Do you call Payroll
anyway, knowing they'll probably deduct the money from
each of your next few paychecks? It will leave you no
money for several weeks.
7. You're selling your old clunker. Do you disclose any
problems you're having with it? Does your answer remain
the same regardless of whether your buyer is male or
female?
8. You discover that someone you dislike at work
received a much bigger raise than you. Do you share the
amount of his/her raise with your friends at work,
hoping to *get even* somehow since you don't care for
him/her?
9. You purchase an ebook online -- it was exactly what
you were looking for. A week later, you're feeling a
money pinch. Do you ask for your money back on the
ebook, even though it more than met your needs?
Children notice the decisions we make on a daily basis.
Why not teach them how to develop money integrity --
through your own interactions and decisions!
Do you have a scenario you'd like to share? Please
email it to me. I'd love to hear from you.
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