Instructing Children How to Earn and Use Money
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have to obtain money by hard work and privation, but how much safer
are those youth who know just where their spending money comes
from, who know what their clothing and food costs, and what it takes
to purchase a home!
There are many ways in which children can earn money themselves
and can act their part in bringing thank offerings to Jesus, who gave His
own life for them.... They should be taught that the money which they
earn is not theirs to spend as their inexperienced minds may choose,
but to use judiciously and to give to missionary purposes. They should
not be satisfied to take money from their father or mother and put it
into the treasury as an offering, when it is not theirs. They should say
to themselves, “Shall I give of that which costs me nothing?
There is such a thing as giving unwise help to our children. Those
who work their way through college appreciate their advantages more
than those who are provided with them at someone else’s expense,
for they know their cost. We must not carry our children until they
become helpless burdens
Parents mistake their duty when they freely hand out money to
any youth who has physical strength to enter on a course of study to
become a minister or a physician before he has had an experience in
useful, taxing labor
[388]
Encourage Children to Earn Their Own Money—Many a child
who lives out of the city can have a little plot of land where he can
learn to garden. He can be taught to make this a means of securing
money to give to the cause of God. Both boys and girls can engage
in this work; and it will, if they are rightly instructed, teach them the
value of money and how to economize. It is possible for the children,
besides raising money for missionary purposes, to be able to help in
buying their own clothes, and they should be encouraged to do this
Discourage the Reckless Use of Money—Oh, how much money
we waste on useless articles in the house, on ruffles and fancy dress,
and on candies and other articles we do not need! Parents, teach your
children that it is wrong to use God’s money in self-gratification....
Encourage them to save their pennies wherever possible, to be used in
5
Letter 11, 1888
.
6
Letter 50, 1895
.
7
Letter 103, 1900
.
8
Letter 356, 1907
.