Money Manager

One of Bea's birthday presents was a Moonjar bank, which has three different compartments: SPEND, SHARE, and SAVE.  She now has paydays during which she is required to put money in each section, thus learning about and having to make decisions with money.  Her school often has Dress Down Friday during which $1 is collected from students toward a specified charity.  I told her she must use funds from her SHARE money if she wants to not wear her uniform.  Most weeks she's happily done so, but last week she decided "I don't mind my uniform, I'll just keep the dollar."  I thought she'd change her mind in the morning, which she didn't.  Then I thought she'd have a big case of regret when I picked her up Friday and she was literally the only child in the school wearing a uniform, but she had no problem and took such joy in knowing she was $1 richer than she'd have been otherwise.  Cracked me up.  The other nice thing that came out of having her own money is that she decided, long ago actually, that she wanted to treat Pepere to dinner at 99 Restaurant, the local place where he treats us a couple Sundays each month.  Bea has asked back in April if she could use some of her upcoming anticipated birthday money to do that, and we agreed that she certainly could.  When she did indeed get money, she reminded me that some of it was going to "treat Pepere" and we thought maybe Father's Day would be a good choice. Well, this past weekend Pepere invited us out and Beatrice announced that she wanted to treat him.  I reminded her about Father's Day or some other occasion, but she said "I just want to give him a gift."  She cleaned out her SPEND section, all $14 of it, and brought it to the restaurant and told Pepere.  Honestly, I don't think my Dad has been moved by anything in a very long time.  It's all he can talk about to anyone he sees.  I'm so proud of her, and equally impressed that she isn't telling anyone about it.  Generous and humble...two good traits that I hope she continues!