One of the best parenting decisions I made was to give my teenage girls a clothing budget every six months. They had to buy all clothing except necessary shoes, underwear, a winter coat, and a bathing suit out of the budget. (We started this in middle school and I wasn’t sure they’d budget wisely enough to afford those things.)
Also, when they were in 11th grade, I told them to choose their winter coat wisely, because it would be the last one I was going to buy them. I’d been wearing the same coat for 12 years. (We live in the south so we don’t need to wear winter coats much.)
One daughter came to me in 12 grade and said she wanted a new coat. I told her to save her money. She came back a few days later and said she NEEDED a winter coat because she ripped her pocket. I told her she could sew it or buy herself a new coat. She is now 24, married, and still has that coat.
One of the best parenting decisions I made was to give my teenage girls a clothing budget every six months. They had to buy all clothing except necessary shoes, underwear, a winter coat, and a bathing suit out of the budget. (We started this in middle school and I wasn’t sure they’d budget wisely enough to afford those things.)
Also, when they were in 11th grade, I told them to choose their winter coat wisely, because it would be the last one I was going to buy them. I’d been wearing the same coat for 12 years. (We live in the south so we don’t need to wear winter coats much.)
One daughter came to me in 12 grade and said she wanted a new coat. I told her to save her money. She came back a few days later and said she NEEDED a winter coat because she ripped her pocket. I told her she could sew it or buy herself a new coat. She is now 24, married, and still has that coat.