DD too interested in money?

[MumNWLondon]

DD is 7. She got some money for her birthday (2 x £20) and then said she wanted to save it for when she is big so she can buy a house.

We are not short of money but are careful with it, don't buy the kids stuff unless they really need it (clothes) or finish a star chart (small treats).

Tried to explain that houses really do cost a lot of money and that she can spend her birthday money now, and save for a house once she is grown up and gets a job.

Now she is asking which jobs get the most money so that she can buy a big house. And now DS (age 4) has engaged with this too, both seem too obsessed. Currently DD has settled on being a doctor which is fine, but now is asking what earns more than a doctor.

What have I done wrong?

Let her save her money - it's a good habit.

i wouldn't worry too much its probably good for her to have the concept of money, saving, having to work hard in a job to get money rather than expecting everything to be given to her throughout life, children who think money grows on trees will get more of a shock when they grow up and realise its not the case! i'm sure when she sees something she really wants she might give in and spend some of her birthday money, if she wants to save it for a bit i don't see the harm though

Don't worry about it. She'll probably change her mind when a great toy turns up. Besides, nothing wrong with saving!

However is she is really anxious about what she will do if she is not rich, where will she live etc then that would be a bit more of an issue.

Your dds will do just fine. You can relax.

Even if this continues, what is wrong with wanting to do something that earns a lot? You should be ecstatic that that their desires coincide with the ability to rake it in.

Are you concerned that by pursuing money they will not be happy? It is such a myth that high earning jobs are empty and meaningless. A lot of such jobs are incredibly challenging and require much hard work and stamina yet are interesting and engaging with huge sense of achievement.

If your dd is a doctor, she even gets to wear a halo.

Saving is an excellent habit, and I certainly don't see any problem with being aware that certain people earn a lot more or less than others.

I wouldn't worry about this at all - in fact I'd be delighted.

If I send you my DDs can you work your magic on them

When they get money for Christmas, treats and so on I let them spend half of it and try to get them to save the other 50% for holidays and so on

I usually give in!

If only our DD was like yours. She is hopeless with money so is seldom given it. Every couple of days she manages to find a euro (I suspect from my purse), under an hour later it's lost.

Much better than my three, one tells me she doesn't have to work hard at school because she is going to live in an council house and be an artist all her life, the other gets through money like water it burns a hole in her pocket and the baby get mugged by the other two because she has no concept at all at the age of 6 of what the paper and metal stuff is.

Ok, I feel better now.

Because we are not short of money, (we both have good jobs) I am really careful with it esp in relation to the DCs - eg we do things like swimming lessons but I wouldn't buy presents for no reason and they only get treats like trips to cinema for a star chart, so everything has to be earned by good behaviour. Even at birthdays/xmas I exercise restraint, wouldn't spend more than £30 per child on each occasion.

We do already save for her (she doesn't know about her bank account), but yes maybe good for her to save for herself too, just thought that it might be nice for her to spend her birthday money - as its only £40 and we are saving more than that for her each month, but its now 4 months and her resolve to save it for a house is as strong as ever.

My dad is a doctor, so she is saying she wants to be a doctor like him... no need to tell her to work hard at school, she already does and she is near top of class.

Blimey, my 9 year old son could learn a thing or two from our dd. I have always tried to get him to save to no avail! It is a good thing that she wishes to save, unless she gets obsessive about it. Although it sounds as though she has her head screwed on.

*your

I think this is totally normal - they are just finding out about this stuff and working it out in their minds.

Xenia will be along in a minute to tell you that your DD has just the right idea, and if only we were all encouraging our DDs to aim at high-paying careers, all our problems would be sorted!