As the cost of living rises and family budgets tighten, how do you have that awkward conversation with your children?
‘I found myself dreading the day that my child would ask for something her friends had, that I couldn’t provide.’‘I found myself dreading the day that my child would ask for something her friends had, that I couldn’t provide.’Last modified on Tue 14 Jun 2022 19.00 BST
On my socials, custom backdrops, tiered cakes, and favours that probably cost more than the last pair of pants I bought felt like the rule and not the exception, and I found myself dreading the day that my child would ask for something her friends had, that I couldn’t provide. She says that we can help children to better understand money by making them aware of the value of different items using everyday things such as supermarket produce.
David*, 36, says that the rising cost of living has made him feel guilty about what he can say yes to, even with government incentives like New South Wales’s Dine and Discover vouchers. “We need to be wary of creating any sense of guilt or burden young people might feel around the cost of their lives,” she says. “We don’t want people to feel unworthy or unvalued, but simply focus on the maths equation side of things and make an adventure out of doing low or no-cost activities.