Last week was supposed to be the final “Financial Writers Who Inspire Us” blog post. We had every intention of moving on to the next topic: allowance best practices. But Ron Lieber threw a spanner into the works. Ron wrote a book last year called The Opposite of Spoiled, which we just read as part of our ongoing research. It is so balanced, informative, and pertinent to what Gifting Sense is trying to accomplish that we had no choice but to make him our 6th (and final, we mean it) honoree.
Do you even want “fresh” kids?
When you first read our headline, you might have thought to yourself, I don’t want “fresh” kids because fresh is a synonym for cheeky, precocious, or maybe even rude. Our use is a word-play on the title of Ron’s book – which was born out of his realization that although no one wants spoiled kids, “the word spoiled has no useful antonym.”
Spoiled referred to meat long before it was used to describe children, Ron explains, and “meat that is not spoiled is fresh.” Of course, Ron knew fresh was “not the first word that comes to mind when describing the ideal young adult”. Hence “The Opposite of Spoiled,” which is subtitled Raising Kids Who Are Grounded, Generous and Smart About Money.
Calculating the DIMS SCORE® for a possible purchase can go a long way toward accomplishing what Mr. Lieber and so many parents worldwide dream of: raising children who can create a fulfilling life they enjoy and can sustain. If you want to learn how to combat materialism and model charitable giving and wise spending, this book is for you.
Thrifting = Thriving
Check out how the word “thrift” is reframed in Chapter Four, where readers learn that “…the root word of thrift is thrive.” Ron is a parent and has talked to many parents over the years. He understands the challenges parents face, and he offers up a host of solutions for everything from the tooth fairy’s going rate to the age at which going virtual with savings (versus amassing them in a jar) might be appropriate. His book is just such a thorough, helpful guide on why and how to talk to kids about money that we would have felt remiss had we not brought it to your attention.
Mr. Leiber has a view on allowance best practices.
As you will read in the coming weeks, Ron believes that allowance should not be tied to chores. There are many other personal finance experts and enthusiasts who disagree with him. One of the reasons people feel so comfortable reading Mr. Leiber’s writing is that they come to understand he will always present the other side of an argument. Ron leans into his vulnerability as a parent and describes how the path to hell is often paved with good intentions. And his daughter isn’t even a full-on teenager yet. (Brace yourself, Ron!)
The DIMS SCORE® report is a helpful, shareable summary.
The DIMS SCORE® Calculator allows children to generate a shareable summary of all the math and thinking they’ve completed when considering a possible purchase. Students know they can use that summary as the agenda for a relaxed, productive conversation about spending with their caregivers. This not only helps ensure that family (gift) dollars are spent as wisely as possible, but it also improves family harmony by ensuring that everyone is “singing from the same song sheet” when it comes to what is and is not on a wish list.
We hadn’t read Mr. Leiber’s book when we built the DIMS SCORE® Calculator, but it does seem purpose-built to help parents raise “fresh” kids—or should we say kids who are the opposite of spoiled!
To learn more about why we think that, click on the pink or blue buttons below.
Child Development Financial Literacy Inspiring Financial Writers
