?HELP! I DON?T KNOW WHAT to give my son now,? my friend, whom we shall call Precy, confesses. ?He got a 95 in his report card this quarter, so we should celebrate.?

I agree. Definitely, results of hard work are a reason for joy.

?I am thinking of bringing him to Europe this Christmas,? Precy continues.

I am shocked. She seems to be going overboard with this reward thing.

?How about celebrating at his favorite restaurant instead?? I suggest. ?Or celebrating in an orphanage or old folks? home??

I tell her about one of my good friends who, every year, brings his children to an orphanage on their birthdays, so they can celebrate with the kids there. His children are bright, well-mannered, compassionate?and I attribute this to their upbringing by thoughtful parents.

?I can?t,? she says. ?You see, long ago, I promised my son rewards for good grades. When he was in Nursery, I gave him a PSP; in Prep, an iPod; in Grade 1, a laptop. When he was in Grade 2, he got 94, we went to Australia. Last year, when he got 94 again, we went to the United States. This year, he got a higher score, so we should go somewhere grander.?

?Because of Typhoon ?Ondoy,? final exams were not given last quarter,? I say. ?That has raised the grades of most children. In the Ateneo, my own college students probably got one point more than they would have in a normal quarter. You can count your son?s 95 as really a 94, so you won?t get so stressed out about a bigger reward.?

Precy is a friend, so I continue, ?I am happy your son is doing very well, but as he grows up, he should learn to love learning for its own sake, not because of external rewards. Once he starts doing well, he will experience the joy of learning, not merely because of grades or foreign trips, but because knowing about new things and developing his talents is a pleasure in itself.?

?I know what you are saying,? she sighs, ?but it?s difficult. You see, I already started it, and I don?t want to disappoint him.?

Precy?s son is in fourth grade now. I wonder where they will go when he gets to seventh grade?the moon?

What Precy and her son (and many parents and children) need is to read Nina Yuson?s delightful book ?Money Matters for Kids!?

Yuson, founder of Museo Pambata, has written about finance before, for adults, but now she has decided to start them young.

With a grant from Citi Foundation, Yuson traces the history of Philippine money, explains the basics of an allowance, recommends ways to earn money creatively.

She talks about needs and wants. ?Needs are goods or services that are required, such as the need for clothing, food, shelter, healthcare, education. Wants are goods or services that are not necessary but that we desire or wish for.?

Which are needs? Which are wants? Candy, box of crayons, book, fancy jewelry, plain T-shirt, plant for mom, cookies for lola and lolo, food item from fast food, pencil, toy, cell phone load, branded T-shirt, tex cards, magazine for dad?s birthday, art materials for greeting cards, movie tickets. For Precy?s sake, I may add: PSP (PlayStation Portable), iPod, laptop, foreign trips.

It is often not easy to distinguish between needs and wants.

Spend money wisely

Children (and adults) learn when they use their money wisely.

Discipline. Think about an item you want to buy. On one column, list the advantages; on the other, the disadvantages of purchasing the item.
For example, children who want a bicycle (and parents thinking of buying them one), can ask themselves: ?Do I need a brand new bike, a branded bike, or a secondhand bike that runs just as well??

Thoughtfulness. Save your money to buy a card or token for parents, grandparents and friends. Think of others besides yourself.

Foresight. When you save money for a rainy day, you are also looking ahead. Sometimes there are more important needs, not just for yourself, but for your family or for someone who may need it more.

Thriftiness. Be careful with how you spend your money. Cut down on unnecessary items.

Resourcefulness. Make your money grow by using your talents, such as by tutoring, teaching other children how to play a musical instrument, or holding a garage sale.

Save the planet

Aside from the book, Yuson has also come up with playing cards with tips on how saving money can help our environment.

Make sure that the rooms in your home are clean. Dirty rooms are less ventilated and poorly lit, thus consuming more energy, and making your electric bill higher.
Walk, carpool or ride your bike to school. The fewer vehicles on the road, the more energy and gas money we save.

Instead of buying books, CDs, DVDs, borrow them from the library. Help your parents save money by easing up on video games or the TV. Do your homework or go outside to play instead of sitting in front of the TV or computer screen.Join recycling fairs or markets and trade your trash for cash. Eat at home more often and less in fast-food restaurants. Do this for a month and see how much money you save.Bring baon to school instead of buying food at the canteen. Not only will you save money, you will be sure that the food is fresh and nutritious. Also, it is packed with love!

Museo Pambata has an exhibit on ?Money Matters? ongoing until Dec. 20, after which time it will go on a nationwide tour. Museo Pambata is on Roxas Boulevard corner South Drive, Manila, tel. 5231797 or 98, e-mail info@museopambata.org. Call the exhibits department if you wish to bring the exhibit to your city or province.

E-mail the author at blessbook@yahoo.com.