DD lost money

I was critical of your drawn out punishment last night but I do think it's reasonable given how much money she has a week to do something like this.
Sunglasses don't need replacing, she told you she'd wear her old ones. So do that where stuff has to be replaced but don't insist she has to have new stuff of she's happy with the old. If she needs a new sun hat, she puts a £1 towards it etc.

However he prepared for it not working. I lost everything as a kid, PE kits, house keys, umbrellas etc. No punishment worked because I couldn't help it. My brain was too full of STUFF to remember everything. I'm marginally better as an adult. But bank cards, God I can't keep track of them. Phones get lost occasionally and it costs ME money and time and anguish and self loathing but I still can't not lose stuff.

Don't be this kind of parent OP.

Your 7 year old has done the kind of thing 7 year olds do.

Don't keep punishing her and making it a massive deal.

Parents like this raise anxious, people pleasing adults who are terrified of making any mistake.

Give her a break.

I'd be concerned that she had taken the money to school and given it out. She wouldn't be the first.
Check on that, then open her a bank acc and let her out her savings in there.

It's not punishment though. It simply means that she won't be able to spend her money until she replaces her savings. It isn't taking money from her to keep for OP, it is just replacing the savings. Which are more important than plushies.

I know that you don't plan to make her replace the money any more OP, but I honestly think that you should consider it. It's no great hardship to have 12 less plushies, but the lesson that she would learn could be very beneficial.

My child is 5 and currently has about £150 in notes in their bedroom, as we haven't been to the bank yet to deposit it. People act like you are so irresponsible for letting your DD keep money in her room, but it's not unusual at all. Grandparents give £10 here or there, they do a few chores, it quickly adds up.

She's lost her own money, why should she have more taken away from her as punishment? I'd understand if she'd taken money out of your purse and lost that, but wanting to punish her for losing her own stuff is mean... Also as pp have said, if you know she likes to take money out and play with it, it's your responsibility to make sure that's not possible with a more secure box or by putting it into a bank account

She doesn't understand the value. To her it's bits of paper.

"That money you lost means no pocket money for 12 weeks. So from now, all over the long summer holidays and until the second week you go back to school in the autumn" Or "mummy has to work and be away from the house for x hours to earn that ".

That should do the trick and might focus her mind on where she put it.

She’s not bothered because she doesn’t yet understand the value of money. Unless she’s spending it and getting something in return, it means nothing to her.

Explain to her why you are upset and that money is very important and she will come to understand that when she’s older. Tell her that from now on you will be keeping her savings safe so this can’t happen again.

As for the money that’s gone missing, surely it will turn up somewhere?

Oh OP children and money can be so frustrating..my DS lost £15 out of his pocket at a car boot cos the silly bugger kept taking it out to check it. We replaced it for him and told him to give us notes in future so they can be kept safe.

If it makes your dd feel any better tell her a grown ass adult (me) left £150 on a windowsill with the window open yesterday and forgot about it. The lot nearly blew away 😑. We all make mistakes.

I don't think I'm in a better mood, my thoughts haven't changed but as my comment was deleted I shan't repeat the sentiment as MNHQ are in charge ultimately!

Your plan to open an account seems sensible. If you can find a bank that gives a bank book that can be exciting for young children as they can see the numbers go up.

I would personally reduce her physical pocket money (or spends if you prefer) to something where she'd need to save to buy a plushie. It's not a natural consequence of her losing the money, but a re-evaluation of what you currently do. If she's getting instant gratification every week then why would she really understand the value of money (and taking care of possessions since that seems to possibly be more of the issue?)

Sit her down and explain that you're not doing it to punish but you were in the wrong too. Adults make mistakes too etc. She may be upset, but so is a child when you won't let them get an ice cream from a van!! Maybe do £2 a week in cash, and pop £3 in a saver with an app if you still want to give her £5 (I wouldn't personally as it's a lot but each to their own!) She can see the balance on your phone but also keep a paper tracker - like oh the toy I want from Argos costs £12... mark off the money until she's got £12 and then she can spend it. That little bit of saving time also teaches a lot about the value of things and reduces impulse spending! It's still her money that she can spend more than once a year, but there's less mental pressure to spend immediately.

And stop replacing things she loses!! She'll never learn to value stuff if it keeps getting replaced. If it's something that really needs replaced, then the money will need to come out of her savings/pocket money.

7 years old is completely old enough to understand that things cost and need to be looked after. You just need to work on how you teach that.

Why aren't you going to mention it this week?
Cause and effect works best when it's current.