My eldest daughter got engaged over Christmas and, as is tradition, she proudly displayed her ring to all her friends and family, and it certainly is lovely and shiny, and it got me to thinking about the shiny things I always liked and as a child that certainly was coins – and if I ever got a coin I would hide it in my sock. There was nothing so wonderful as having a sixpence in my sock and I can still remember the feeling of that little bump even now. It made me feel contented and strong and as if all was well with the world.
Money does that and makes us all feel better in some way. And if we feel positive about money we’re likely to be better at handling it as we grow up. We get that powerful surge of emotion mainly with physical money and what saddens me is that the gradual reduction and eventual extinction of real notes and coins takes away some of this wonder.
To this day I still keep some real money about me so that I can replicate that feeling of wonder and satisfaction at any time.
Coins were like treasure to me – they were shiny and sparkly and truly wonderful and I would hate our children to lose that sense of amazement.
All children like treasure and as parents we can encourage them by allowing them some real money rather than just giving them access to plastic cards where money arrives and disappears with a swish or click with no real emotional attachment.
The trouble with the click and swish approach to money is that it has no real meaning or feeling whereas parting with your hard saved treasure is painful and we’re less likely to give it up casually!
We all like something shiny and children are no different. Whether you’re a parent or an adult trying to recapture a sense of positive wonder with money get some coins, clean and polish them and then dot them around the house (or even hide them for children to find) and treasure them – we all like something shiny!
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