Commuter Mom: Allowance

I was at the store with Commuter Girl the other day when she pointed to a stuffed animal and said she needed it. I told her no, and asked her if she had any money to buy it. She looked at me and said, “Mama, I need some cash.” She’s 2 ½! We were out running errands and I told her that one of our stops was the bank. We drove through the ATM (by the way, whoever thought of drive through ATMs is a genius) and she asked if we were at the piggy bank.

I want Commuter Girl to understand that we work hard to earn our money and that she can’t have everything she wants. I want her to realize that sometimes you have to wait and save money before you can buy something really special. She can’t just walk into Gymboree and buy the sunglasses she wants, or the kayak she was eyeing at LL Bean – ok, maybe that involved a little encouragement from Commuter Dad. So, when can I start her on an allowance? How do I start to educate my 2 ½ year old about finances?