Would you be surprised?

[Willdoitinaminute]

What age would you expect a child to recognise and be able to work out how much money they had.
I recently came across an 8yr old who had 80p in coins (50p,20p and 10p) but had no idea how much they had or what they could afford to buy with it.
I was a little surprised.
I can understand not being able to add up but to not know the names and value of coins or notes would worry me.
I suppose that if the parents use plastic for every payment they make they may not have been exposed to many cash transactions, but maths lessons include a large amount of cash based problems to introduce them to decimals.

This is why I've started giving 4yo DD pocket money. She didn't really understand money because I always used plastic to pay. This way she is beginning to learn about money. Children can't learn money or time easily without getting lots of practice at home, in my experience.

At what age do they start doing this at school?

Not saying that the parents don't have a role in teaching this, but my DCs are as yet too young for me to know. My DC1 is 5yo and is starting to be curious about coins but doesn't know which are which.

we tend to be led on this type of thing by when school teaches them, then support the school with home teaching. But then my DC1 is "young" for her age.

Do you know they didnt recognise the coins? Or was it just they couldnt add them up? That wouldnt be that unusual, but I agree not recognising the coins would be.

Actually, I dont even know why I'm asking this. Why on earth does it matter?! Is this YOUR 8 year old? TBH you dont seem concerned about this child, you simply want confirmation that they're weird which seems a rather empty and unkind exercise.

My dd is 9 and does a daily shop accompanied by me.
I agree it is important for them to understand and be able to use money.
She struggled at school and maths is improving immensely by doing this.
I understand that most people don't have time to do this every day but just once or twice would benefit them.
She can total the shop to £20 and work out the change. She knows which offers are best, whether to buy 2 small or 1 large pack depending on weight and how to way and price fruit and veg. We go at an early time usually about 9am not to annoy the staff and customers and she does it all by herself.

weigh, not way.

My DS1 did this at school before age 8, can't remember if it was in year 1 or year 2.

Money is certainly on the maths syllabus for year 3. Ds age 7's class were "doing " money yesterday while he was off at the dentist. Given that he can calculate his spending money quite happily and knows to the penny what he has and what he can buy with it, I'm not worried.

My DS3 certainly did some money problems in year 1.

My DD covered coins and adding to a £1 in Year 1.

Wellthen it was more out of curiosity. At what age do children usually become aware of money and has it changed since plastic has taken over.
Also has internet shopping meant that some children rarely see that we pay for things with money.
Now that very few people are actually paid in cash are they less aware of what we have to do for that money.
I am self employed and my DS has to come into work with me occasionally. He sees people paying by cash and by card for the service I provide so maybe he is more savvy than most children.

I can remember mine playing shop games with plastic coins in reception, and I'm pretty sure they had money questions in KS1 maths.

And we had a toy cash register at home that took both a card and cash.

DD(4) knows what each coin is worth, don't think she can add up as far as 80p but she can count out 55p for chocolate, she couldn't tell you if she could afford anything else as well though.

DS(9) covered money in year 1 maths and had played shops since reception.

at 8 I would be surprised about not recognising the coins or knowing how much is there but not about not being able to work out how much they could afford.

If I expected the child had average background and capabilities, then I would be surprised. But taking into consideration how many children are not average, no, I wouldn't be surprised to come across such a child.

My seven year old has just about grasped that coins have different values, so that a certain sweet can be bought with a £1 coin which she could not afford with a 50p coin. She remains baffled by the idea that two 50p coins could represent the same amount of money as a £1 coin, and by the notion of receiving change when she makes a purchase.

If this surprises the people who meet her, they are polite enough not to say so.