Parents know that kids are an endless financial investment. We could sit here all day and night and discuss all the different ways that kids cost money. Of course, we love them and know they're worth it. There comes a certain age, however, when kids need to learn about the value of a dollar and not to take what they have for granted. One mom came up with a brilliant approach to handling this when she'd had enough of her kids asking for things. She held a job fair for her kids to give them a crash course on the financial world.
Shaketha Marion McGregor of Dublin, Georgia, shared her story with friends on Facebook. After her kids got to asking for allowances and cellphones, she'd had enough. She decided to surprise them after school with an in-home hiring event. She also offered them an in-home credit bureau. Parents were in awe of the amazing ideas.
Spoiling your kids can seem like a lot of fun when they're small, but after a certain age, it's time for those kids to learn about money and the best ways to manage it. It isn't an easy lesson to teach, but many parents have found creative ways to do it.
While some parents decide on a specific allowance and stick to it, others are more laissez-faire about how much money they give their kids or let their kids spend. It can be a hard decision to make, but all parents face this issue at some point in time.
One Georgia mom came up with an idea that stemmed from the same financial dilemma all parents face. She shared her experience on Facebook. "So, my children continue to ask for a new cell phone, an allowance, and to go places," Shaketha Marion McGregor explained.
"Yesterday I told them that I've heard their requests and that I'll have a surprise for them today when they get home from school," she continued. "SURPRISE!!! It's a whole hiring event! ," she revealed, including photos of her posters with her story.
"If you want it, work for it, earn it!" the mom of three proclaimed. "And yes, I also have an in-home credit union lol #ThisMomMeansBusiness #IWonderWhoWillGetFiredFirst ." Instantly, her idea was a hit and began going viral.
Shaketha posted three available jobs, one for each child. She also provided them with job applications to fill out and a time to show up for interviews. The best part is the in-home credit union, used to help the kids understand how credit works.
As her story swept the internet, parents everywhere applauded Shaketha for her creativity. They acknowledged that it's a creative solution to teaching kids lessons about money management that will help them throughout their lives.
Since the idea generated so much interest, Shaketha created a Facebook page called This Mom Means Business for people to continue following this experiment with her kids. There, she revealed that she had to reject one child for a job he applied for.
She also shared her new hire packets that she had the kids fill out for their new positions. The kids also have to "clock" in and out for their new jobs using the IDs she created for them, making the process as realistic as possible.
Shaketha also arranged a job board for other opportunities to make money. So far, her youngest daughter has been the most willing to jump into her position as Lead House Keeper and start earning. She even offered to do extra work in the kitchen because she was "trying to get my credit score up."
The viral post has also turned into a business opportunity for Shaketha. She began making custom "job fair" kits for families based on their unique needs after so many parents asked for her help creating their own. It's not a bad price to pay for an invaluable lesson.
"$25 per box which will include all of the hiring event necessities (flyers, applications, & new hire form) the job board, mailbox, 1 name tag ($2 per each additional tag), detailed information on in-home jobs, at home credit plans for your children and information on how parents can boost their own credit score! PDF files are $1 each to email," she shared.
Shaketha has also gotten plenty of emails from families who have given creating their own in-home job fairs a shot. It's awesome seeing how many kids are going to benefit from a lesson that's not taught often enough, if at all, in schools.
We applaud Shaketha for her creativity. Parents often box themselves out of using creative solutions to teach their kids lessons. Shaketha has shown that dedication to an idea can make all the difference in their lives and the lives of others.
