It’s January and I am working on my own list of thank-you notes – the handwritten kind – to family and friends who were so generous with me this holiday season.  I have also compiled a list of the contact information for the people my kids need to thank.

Our agreement is that I will provide this list and they will write the thank you notes.  They understand that thank you notes do more than express appreciation for the gift—they show the gift-giver that my girls value the thought that went into the gift.  This process is my way of making sure my girls feel grateful for gifts, rather than entitled to them.  

Parents often ask me how they can teach their children about their money values.  They want to make sure they communicate what is in their heads and in their hearts about money.  Continue reading