So you have kids, and you want the scoop on what’s going on in Jamaica. You’re in the right place.

I just have to say this is an absolute MUST DO for your children.  I may even venture to say it is a “must do” for every Jamaican.  First of all did you know we had a museum in Jamaica?  You are not alone, I asked  SEVERAL of my friends, and no one knew we had a museum.  When I told folks we were heading down to the museum I got the same confused ” museum? what yu talking about?” look from everybody.   I also wasn’t  aware there was a museum until a few months ago, and I did all my schooling in Jamaica.  That really is embarrassing!

Exhibits

So on with it.  When I visited (August 2011)  there were  two exhibitions and a display at the Museums of History and Ethnography East St, downtown Kingston. These were: “From War to Windrush…Lest We Forget”, Our People: Other Worlds and a Taino display. From War to Windrush…Lest We Forget (really 2 exhibitions combined): “From War to Windrush”  is a traveling exhibition from England which provides distinct reflections on the impact of World War I and World War II on the lives of West Indians, while “Lest We Forget”  pays specific attention to the Jamaican experience.   This was quite impressive.  Actual pictures of Jamaicans heading off to fight for England in WWI, uniforms and gas masks worn by our soldiers, letters sent home to family and so much more.  There is also an interactive Education Room “Gibraltar Camp” which is a part of the Windrush Exhibitions, where children are guided into assemblying puzzles, using clues to complete map work, assuming the roles of soldiers by putting on uniforms and testing their motor skills by running through tires in true military camp fashion.  I took my 7 year old son and his cousin, also 7, and they thoroughly enjoyed the “Gibraltar Camp”.  Even though, there was a TV monitor (not turned on)  in the exhibit, and one of the boys got excited and asked “where’s the remote?”, ready to turn on the TV! ( just shoot me!!)

In order to satisy students’ need for historical data and material culture ( especially owing the closure of the Taino Museum in White Marl, St Catherine) a Taino display aligned to the Csec Social Studies, History and Cape History syllabi has been mounted. This display offers a brief account of the history of the aboriginal Taino population from the time of European arrival in the 15^th century. It is an arrangement of some fifty artifacts for students contextualized under the categories Social and Economic Life and Religious beliefs.

I understand from our tour guide, Meeckel,who was awesome , that the basement houses a lot of our historical artifacts, there just isn’t the space to have a permanent display, which is quite unfortunate.  The building itself is quite historic  and architecturally beautiful, with several original fixtures.  I left our museum with my heart racing with excitement.  It is such a fantastic experience to see our history cataloged and displayed so professionally.  The exhibit was quite engaging, each piece more captivating than the previous.  I remember saying “Wow” “this is awesome” “incredible” over and over.  I was so proud, to know that this caliber museum existed in Jamaica.  I immediately called friends, family and everybody I knew who had children to share this “well kept secret”.

Well kept secret

So now for my soapbox.  Why is the Institute of Jamaica (IOJ) such a “well kept secret”?  Why do we have a world class museum, that is quite impressive, educational, engaging and nobody knows about it?  Speaking to some persons in the “know”, they say there are a few “challenges” with IOJ as it is now.  It is located downtown, Mondays to Thursdays, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Fridays, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m, no weekends and parking may be a problem.  Let me handle these “challenges” one by one.  1) The downtown location should not be a problem.  It is located on East St. in the same area as large companies, law firms, banks etc.,we not talking about some obscure lane.  2) The parking, IOJ “has (rents) a few spots” in a lot at 31/32 East St.-just above the entrance.  When we went the lot was EMPTY! (so no problem there).  However, 3) No weekends is a problem.  They really need to be open on Saturdays, if not every Saturday, then every other. I understand to implement a change in opening hours needs cabinet approval (or something similar)!!  Really? Gimme a break!

Field trips

OK, until the hours change, let’s work with what we have.  Why don’t schools take children to the museum for their field trips?  I think it should be mandatory that every school child visits the museum.  It is one thing to learn history in books and quiet another to see the history.  I understand Prep schools (parents) don’t want their children to go downtown?  Are you kidding me?  We have to get past this uptown vs. downtown mentality in Jamaica.  The IOJ is a phenomenal resource for our country that we need to take advantage of and enjoy.

Have you visited the IOJ?  What are your thoughts?  I would love to continue the conversation so please leave a comment below.

For more information on the Institute of Jamaica and the museums across Jamaica, visit their website.  A great site with really good information on Jamaican history.  You can also get involved with the museum by becoming a Friend of the Museum.

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Always on the look out for fun, educational, and engaging places to go and things to do with my eight year old son, over the summer holidays we headed to the “Money Museum” at the Bank of Jamaica.  Have you heard of it?  Did you know we had a money museum right here in Kingston?  I am embarrassed to say I just recently heard about the museum, even though it has been around since 1999!

There are so many neat and educational places of interest and fantastic cultural experiences to be shared with the kids here in Jamaica.  This is one of the main reasons I started this site, to share information on all the hidden gems we take for granted or may not even know about, that exists right under our noses.

The Money Museum is quite impressive. The monetary artifacts take us on a journey through our rich history, which was most educational.  From the very first “coins”/trading items from the Taino people, through the British influence of the Shillings and Pounds, to our  present day colourful banknotes.  They have all been captured, preserved and beautifully displayed for all to enjoy.

The Money museum, in addition to being educational for the kids (and us), also provides a great opportunity for us to reminisce and share stories with our children, about how we used money when we were children.  Seeing the $1, $2, $5, $10 and $20 bills, brought back great memories of my childhood.  We spoke about how much lunch money I used to get and what we would buy for lunch from Fudgie and Chippie, and the lady at the gate with the Chinese sweetie (sold singly)-oh my!   Oh what great memories for me, and even better conversations with my son about how things change, the value of money, technology-with ATM cards and so many other advancements.  The conversation can go in so many directions depending on the age of your child.

They do offer guided tours for groups of 10 or more.  So plan your trip and schedule a tour.  It was only 4 of us so no guide, but we did get to experience “the light show”.  This was truly the highlight of the visit for the kids.  I am not sure how often the show happens per day, but we were happy to see it.  The “light show” is seeing bills of different denominations  under the UV light.  You are able to see all the anti-counterfeiting technology that goes into each bill, which is quite neat.  Each of our Jamaican bills has some pretty spectacular images under the UV light.

I strongly recommend The Money Museum for kids 8+, however I think kids a little older about 10+ would appreciate more fully the history that has been preserved and the entire experience.

The Museum is open Monday t0 Friday, 10am-4pm and closed on weekends and public holidays.  I know, tough to get there during these hours, but how about planning  a school trip and tying it into some portion of the curriculum?

Have you visited the Money museum?  Share your experience with us.  If you haven’t visited as yet, will you plan a trip now?  I would love to get your feedback and thoughts.  Just fill out he comments section below.

Visit their website for more information.

Photos: Taken at The Bank of Jamaica Money Museum

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I feel strongly about  teaching our children how to become financially literate and financially savvy.  Here is another installment from Financial expert Cherryl Hanson Simpson.  I would love to hear how you teach your children about money.  How do you talk about money at home?  What other tips can you share with us?  Share your comments in the section below.

Contributed by Cherryl Hanson Simpson

Recently, while planning for a trip to a Spanish-speaking country, I realised that I had forgotten all the lessons I had learnt in high school about this foreign language. Although I had passed the subject in external examinations many years ago, I had no recollection of even the basic concepts.

Unfortunately this problem is replicated with many of the subjects that I studied in school from primary up to tertiary levels. Although I may have excelled at them in class, the reality is that I did not practise their principles outside of school, so their content became distant memories.

I know my situation is not an isolated case of ’school-subject Alzheimer’s’. I have often wondered why our education system focuses on teaching children so many obscure topics, while ignoring some practical areas that are crucial to the development of our students. I believe that more attention needs to be paid to imparting important life skills to help them to cope in the real world.

We All Need To Learn About Money

One vital lesson that is absent from the curriculum of Jamaica’s school system is personal finance education. Whether we aspire to become doctors, lawyers, nurses or policemen, we all need to learn the key principles of how to manage, multiply and maintain our money. No student should leave school without attaining an age-appropriate understanding about money.

Looking back, all my financial lessons were learnt through making mistakes and trying to figure out how to get out of the money problems I had created for myself. If only someone had taught me the basic rules of money while I was in school, I would have saved myself a lot financial stress over the years.

Today, one of my goals is to promote the inclusion of personal finance training in the curriculum of primary to tertiary level schools. In conceptualising the ideal money course, I thought about all the topics that I wished that I had learnt in school, and created a framework that could be adapted to different age groups.

This week, we will look at the first four money principles that I think our children should be learning in school:

Budgeting Basics

One of the major problems that people face with their finances is that they don’t know how to allocate the money they have to pay all their bills. The concept of budgeting is one that primary school children should learn, as even at that age, they have to make choices with their money.

Using practical applications, students should be taught how to work out all their monthly expenses, fill out a personal budget, calculate the difference between income and expenses and make adjustments in the budget to balance their spending needs with their income.

Need help with getting out of debt? CLICK HERE!

Smart Spending

Our consumption-focused culture is partly responsible for many of the financial challenges that the country as a whole is facing today. Many Jamaicans equate having money with the ability to spend it frivolously. To address this problem, we have to teach proper spending decisions to young children when they are still impressionable.

Some of the practical areas that would be covered include making grocery lists, comparison shopping for best prices, finding sales via newspaper advertisements, calculating unit prices on goods, differentiating between wants and needs, and learning how to save money by conserving.

Saving Essentials

The flip side of our high propensity to spend is our inadequate attention to saving. If our thoughts are focused on spending money instead of accumulating it, is it any wonder that many of us live from pay cheque to pay cheque, and never amass any real wealth? Children need to be taught how to save, as many of their parents are not carrying out this vital activity.

This subject should teach students simple strategies to make regular saving easier, such as putting aside ten per cent of their income. Practical experience would be obtained by them actually opening their own bank or credit union accounts. They should also be taught the factors that make money grow, such as compound interest and the impact of time on savings.

Managing Debt

Many people’s first response to having a budgetary shortfall is to try to borrow money to make up the difference. Along with our love of spending comes our dependence on debt. Unfortunately, this negative attitude is being passed onto our children, so it is important to equip them with the tools to understand how to manage debt.

Key principles about debt that should be taught include understanding how loans work, reading loan documents, assessing the capacity to borrow based on a budget, using credit cards, recognising beneficial debt as against harmful debt, and the responsibility to repay debts on time.

Photo: Images_of_Money

Copyright Cherryl Hanson Simpson

Cherryl is a money coach and the founder of Financially S.M.A.R.T. Services, Jamaica’s number one source for practical answers to all money questions. Cherryl is currently writing The 3 M’s of Money. See more of her work at www.financiallyfreenetwork.comand www.financiallysmartadvice.com

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I heard about the Jamaican Playing cards and just had to speak to the creator, Empress Mullings.  I think they are brilliant.   I can see so many variations of traditional card games, plus using them as a learning tool for literacy, numeracy and trivia with children.

Watch the video to see Empress speak about these playing cards. I am sure you will find them awesome too.

Visit the website for a full explanation of how to use the deck and to see the games that can be played.  You are encouraged you to make up your own games and share them.  Why don’t you and the kids try out Go Fish, Old Maid or Rummy with your Jamaican playing cards?  I would love to hear about the fun you’re having.  Just leave your comments below.

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The environment is constantly in the news, with “Global warming”, “Carbon footprints”, “Greenhouse gases” and several other environmental terms  capturing the  headlines across the globe.  The environmental awareness of kids is also becoming increasingly important, with many schools worldwide, starting Eco clubs and vegetable gardens.  In Jamaica we have The Schools Environment Programme initiated by Jamaica Environment Trust (JET), which has been delivered to over 350 schools.  Participating schools carry out activities in four main areas: Managing garbage; greening of school grounds; strengthening or establishing an environmental club and environmental research.  Here at Kid ‘N’ Play JA we will be running a series of environmental posts and exploring different ways to include children, teaching them to be good stewards of  the environment.

In this our first post on the environment, here are a few ideas to help your kids Go Green.

Practice the 3 Rs of Conservation: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Reduce

• Turn off the lights when leaving a room, turn off the water when brushing your teeth, use only what you need and save the rest for a later date.  Unplug electronics when not using them and turn off the TV and video games (I am sure with the JPS bills there is a lot of motivation to reduce our energy consumption!). Turn off the computer and video games, get the kids outside.  Instead of the plastic grocery/scandal bags, opt for the larger reusable bags.  Also, look for items with little packaging.

Reuse

• Find creative ways to re-purpose your items and get a second life.  Art projects can utilize the inside surface of  cereal boxes and  juice boxes.  Newspaper can be used for Eco-wrapping paper or book wrap.  You can save bottle tops for craft projects or to use for teaching small kids to sort or count. Create a box that your kids can put scraps in for using later or that they can go to when they want to craft.

• Use gift bags instead of traditional wrapping paper.  The bags can always be reused.  Instead of plastic disposable (water) bottles, Ziploc bags, use reusable/refillable  containers.
• Donate clothes and toys

Recycle

• Glass, paper, plastic, aluminium, steel can all be recycled.  Children can collect and sort these items and accompany you to the recycling depot.
• Items you can take to the JET Recycling Depot are PET and HDPE plastic bottles and white office paper.  Our following post will discuss Recycling in Jamaica.  JET does not pay for recyclables, and they do not charge for the service.  They also have a truck, donated by Pepsi, which can collect plastic bottles from schools in Kingston, St. Catherine and Clarendon.  If you would like to find out about a pick up for your school, please call the JET office at 960-3693.  JET’s Recycling Depot at 11 Waterloo Road is open between 9.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. Mondays to Fridays.

• Recycling saves energy and money-It takes less energy to process recycled material than it does virgin material.  Therefore, the savings realized with the lower energy cost, will be passed on to the consumer.
• Recycling decreases pollution and landfill space.

These are just a few of the many environmentally-friendly actions you and your kids can take to protect the environment.  It’s not just teaching them to be “green”, but instead teaching them to be good stewards of the earth and to respect the environment.

What kinds of things do you do with your children to teach them about the environment?  Have you started a vegetable garden, planted a tree or volunteered for a beach clean up?  We would love to hear about your experience.

Please leave your comments below.

Photo (recycle symbol): Steve Snodgrass
Visit Jamaica Environment Trust’s website for more information.

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With the busyness of life, and shuttling our children from one activity to the next, be it the football, or the swimming and music lessons or of course the ever-present extra-lessons, you want me to consider kids Yoga now?  C’mon, really?  Yes, really I do!

The popularity of Yoga in recent years has grown exponentially.  We have all heard about the benefits and how great Yoga is for your body, and you can’t help but notice the women who practice Yoga seriously.  They have some wicked bodies!  The long, lean, taut muscles and their amazingly strong cores are just to die for.  Don’t know if it is just me, but it always seems that these Yoga women exude a kind of “something”…confidence? strength?  Both?  Can’t put my finger on it, but a certain something.

I am by no means a devout Yogi.  I have done Yoga in the past but have not been able to maintain my practice consistently.  Life just kinda gets in the way and knocks me off track. I have to tell you though, I love how I feel after a class.  Strong, flexible, energized, drained, relaxed…and with evening classes, I sleep really well that night.  These are just what  I am aware of, there are so many more benefits we are not aware of.  Case in point, I had a dentist’s appointment right after a Yoga class, and boy, let’s just say the dentist wanted to encourage all her patients to do a Yoga class before coming in for dental work .  She said I was calm and relaxed (knocked out really), which you could expect, but she also used much less anaesthesia than usually required!!  So there is something to this Yoga stuff.

So knowing all these great benefits exist for adults, surely children would benefit too.  Sharon Feanny, of Shakti Mind Body Fitness, shared this article with me, that speaks to how children benefit in all aspects of life from doing Yoga: Yoga for Kids by Marsha Wenig.  Here are some key points:

1. Yoga can help counter the stresses of children’s busy lives.  After school activities, competitive sports, video games etc.
2. Relaxation techniques help with life’s challenges
3. Improved Self-esteem and body awareness
4. Sense of calmness and relaxation improves
5. Connecting more deeply with their inner self and nature (a somewhat abstract concept to grasp at first)

“When they stretch like a dog, balance like a flamingo, breathe like a bunny, or stand strong and tall like a tree, they are making a connection between the macrocosm of their environment and the microcosm of their bodies. The importance of reverence for all life and the principle of interdependence becomes apparent. Children begin to understand that we are all made of the same “stuff.” We’re just in different forms.”

Do your children Yoga?  What are your thoughts on the topic?  Any suggestions for parents thinking about Yoga for kids?  I would love to hear your thoughts and comments.  Let’s continue the conversation, just enter your thoughts in the comments section below.

Namaste

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It has always been my intention to gather as many reading and writing online resources and favourite links in general,  and package them nicely  into a “Resources” area on our Kid ‘N’ Play JA site.   Truth be told, I  just have not gotten around to getting the information on the site the way I want it.  Keep checking back though, it will be here soon.

Here are the links to two neat educational websites, Funbrain and Brainbashers.  Funbrain has fun activities for Math, Reading ,Writing and more, for you to enjoy with your children for free.  Brainbashers is a collection of brain teasers, puzzles, riddles, games and optical illusions.  I love the idea of children solving puzzles, as these puzzle-solving skills help with the development of abstract and ‘out of the box’ thinking.  These critical thinking skills can be applied to multiple scenarios throughout life.

If you have been keeping up with our posts here, I am sure you will notice that we encourage children to get away from the screen and get active.  So how come I am suggesting more screen time with computer games?  Short answer: You have to meet your children where they are.  Children love computers and computers are the future.  Especially now over the summer, if it is difficult to get your children to do some practice exercises in math and reading to maintain the learning of last school year, in the traditional format of books, maybe they will be more receptive to using the technology vehicle.  This is just another option available to you. We at Kid ‘N’ Play JA strongly believe in limiting screen time, whether TV, computer, video games etc. and getting the  kids active again.  I heard recently that 1 in 5 Jamaican children are at risk for obesity!!!  Alarming, as my friend reminded me that our problem used to be malnutrition!

While doing my usual  web surfing and catching up on some of my favourite children’s education bloggers, I came across an additional resource I want to share.  This post is from a guest contributor on Imagination Soup, and she shares some great online literacy resources also.

When you get a chance to use some of these tools with your children, I would love to get your feedback.  Were the children engaged, did they enjoy learning?  Are there other sites or tools you use?  I would love to hear about them.

Photo: vespar avenue

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Contributed by Althea Bailey

The Oxford Dictionary defines self-esteem as “an opinion of one’s own character.” When you have high self-esteem, it means you know you are a worthwhile person, someone worthy of love. You respect yourself and who you are. Self esteem results from thoughts and feelings that may be positive or negative. The more positive feelings lead to higher self esteem while the more negative feelings lead to lower self esteem. High self-esteem is also different from pride or being too conceited. People with high self-esteem like themselves but they don’t think they are perfect or better than other people.

While building good or high self-esteem in a child is mainly the responsibility of the parent, the quality of the relationships that the child has with people in spheres of influences outside of the home and family can also make an impact. The types of relationships and the messages that a child receives are very important in building self esteem. When the messages children receive from those people close to them are positive, friendly, and respectful they are more likely to develop a strong sense of self-esteem. If, on the other hand the child is rejected and not valued, then it will be more difficult for that child to love him or herself.

Having high self-esteem is very important for children as well as parents. It is quite common for parents with low self esteem to raise children who also have low self esteem and vice versa. Self esteem affects the way we live, act and feel about ourselves and others. High self esteem can make you feel, capable, productive, effective and lovable. Low self esteem can make you feel worthless, incompetent, and unloved. Positive self esteem makes it less important what others think and say about you while people with negative self esteem are usually unassertive and live to please others. The most important reason for ensuring that children develop a positive self image is that it serves as an effective barrier to negative influences and behaviours.

Our values influence our self esteem and the choices that we make.  We usually make choices that are in line with our values and self esteem. Negative or poor self esteem reduce the chances of our children making good choices and maintaining personal values that may not be popular. Sometimes in order to fit in or to impress others, people including children ignore their values. For example a child at school who reports the misdemeanor of another may be labeled an “informer” by other children. In the Jamaican context an “informer” is viewed at best with ridicule and at worst with hostility and physical violence. A child who experiences or anticipates any of these responses and who has poor self esteem may not choose to “do the right thing”.

At all costs parents should avoid actions and relationships that can cause their children to develop low self esteem as this usually results in lack of self confidence and expectation of failure. Children with low self esteem can experience poor academic performance, a distorted view of self and others, lackadaisical attitudes and negativity because of their inability to be self motivated and to persist in spite of challenges. Things that cause poor self esteem in children include; verbal abuse, neglect, shaming the child and comparing the child negatively to others including siblings. Young people who are or have been exposed to violence, even violence delivered as discipline or care, are likely to have a very low self-esteem, and what’s worse, they often feel guilty and unworthy. Sometimes they may even feel that adults have the right to use violence against them.

There are also factors in the community and society that can affect the way your child perceives him or herself. It is important that you discuss things such as skin colour, hair texture, generally accepted norms of beauty and attractiveness. Help your child to accept that variety is natural and good. Help him or her to understand that people of all races, skin colours, body shapes and sizes can be attractive. Reinforce the fact that what is popular is not always wholesome or even correct. Make your child feel good about thinking independently and encourage him or her to make good and healthy choices based on facts and not  necessarily popularly held beliefs.

In order to raise emotionally healthy children with positive self esteem it is important that the parent love their child unconditionally despite of looks, disabilities or illnesses. Make your child feel loved and appreciated by praising them, hugging them and providing for their physical, emotional and spiritual needs. It is important that parents be positive and supportive of their child while providing guidance and direction and correcting mistakes. It is far more effective to provide positive reinforcement of good behaviours than to spend enormous amounts of time and energy enforcing punishments or shouting and screaming at a child. Don’t force your child to live out your dreams. Know your child’s personality, their likes and dislikes as well as their strengths and weaknesses. Help your child to discover his or her special talents. Encourage the child to be the best he or she can be at athletics, academics, art, music or whatever it is the child enjoys and does well. Remember a positive self image is one of the best weapons you can provide your child against negative influences and behaviours.

Photo: Poppy Thomas-Hill

Althea Bailey
Lecturer
Health promotion & Behaviour Change Communication, University of the West Indies Mona

The Kid ‘N’ Play Jamaica blog is a part of the Kid ‘N’ Play JA network. Kid ‘N’ Play JA is an online resource for parents.  We share information on children’s activities and attractions, fun ideas to engage with your children, parent and kid’s articles, promotions and giveaways and so much more.  Experience us at www.kidnplayja.com, Like us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/kidnplayja and Follow us on Twitter @kidnplayja.  Join our conversation as we build a strong community of parents around our children.

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“My nine-year old son is always asking me for the latest video game, shoes, or DVD, with no thought about the cost of these things. I know I spoiled him when he was younger by buying too many toys and clothes for him. Now I’m worried that he’ll grow up without a clue how to manage money and live within his means. What can I do to teach him about money?”

Just like many adults, today’s children are riding high on the massive wave of consumerism that’s taking over our society. It’s easy for them to succumb to peer pressure and feel that they are not ‘with it’ if they don’t have the latest gear- Heelies, Crocs, Motorola flip phone, Playstation Portable, IPod, and more.

What can parents do to combat all these negative spending influences? Our challenge as care-givers is to substitute positive values that teach children about money – how to earn it, keep it, and make it grow. To be successful in re-programming our kids, we must first be good role models by practicing successful money management too.

You can start your kids on the road to being wealthy, well-adjusted adults by imparting the practical values inherent in the money rules below. This week we will look at three key laws which will show children what money is really worth. Next week we will look at rules to teach them exactly what to do with the money they have.

1.  Money is earned

Many times, children don’t see the connection between work and money. They see their parents heading to the ATM, where by magic, money appears; and they receive gifts upon demand without having to expend any energy to get it. You can change this by having a family discussion about working to earn money. If they are old enough, show your children your pay slip and your budget. Explain to them how each dollar you earn goes towards expenses or saving for the future. Let them make the link between your long hours at the office and the money that they wish to spend frivolously.

Encourage their entrepreneurial spirit by helping them to look for opportunities to earn extra money. One client recounted when she was only six years old, in response to her father’s talks about making money, she tried to sell oranges to her friends at school for profit. When she realized that her schoolmates were not interested in the whole oranges, she had the bright idea to sell them in quarters. This time she was successful, and actually made more money than she would have if she had sold them whole. Today, she is still involved in entrepreneurial ventures, thanks to her early money programming.

Want to raise money-smart kids? CLICK HERE!

2.  Money can multiply

Hand in hand with a discussion about working for money, should be a lesson about money working for you. Explain to your children that they can earn interest (more money) when they put away some of their money in the bank. An easy way to do this is to have them save coins in a piggy bank and when it’s full, match their savings by giving them ‘interest’. Open bank or credit union accounts as soon as they have accumulated enough savings and let them keep their bank books so that they can see the interest being added to their accounts.

You can download a savings calculator at www.financiallysmartonline.com, which your children can use to play around with different savings amounts, interest rates and time periods to see how fast their money can grow. You can explain that this is called the magic of compounding. The value being taught is that there is a reward when you defer spending and instead choose to invest. By putting away a little of what you had planned to spend now, you will have much more to enjoy in the future.

3.   Money should be shared

Heavy consumerism brings a ‘me-first’ attitude in our children, where they are only concerned with all the goodies they want. Encourage an early spirit of philanthropy by asking them to donate a toy or item of clothing for every new one they receive. Have them actually take their donations to a children’s home where they can give them to the less fortunate children. Help them to realize how lucky they are and how to be content with what they already have.

Read stories of the good works of wealthy people like Oprah Winfrey and Bill Gates, and our own Jamaican philanthropists such as Ferdinand Mahfood, who have made a big difference in the lives of many people around the world. This will also help them to understand that we all have a duty to assist each other in society.

Photo attribution: http://www.seniorliving.org/

Copyright Cherryl Hanson Simpson

Cherryl is a money coach and the founder of Financially S.M.A.R.T. Services, Jamaica’s number one source for practical answers to all money questions. Cherryl is currently writing The 3 M’s of Money. See more of her work at www.financiallyfreenetwork.comand www.financiallysmartadvice.com

Kid ‘N’ Play JA is an online resource for parents.  We share information on children’s activities and attractions, fun ideas to engage with your children, parent and kid’s articles, promotions and giveaways and so much more.  Experience us at www.kidnplayja.com, Like us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/kidnplayja and Follow us on Twitter @kidnplayja.  Join our conversation as we build a strong community of parents around our children.

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You remember the good ol’ days?  When travelling was fun and exciting.  When you planned your outfit and always tried to look good to get on the plane.  Enter September 11, 2001, World Trade Centre and Bin Ladin!  Puull Up!  Draw breaks!  Stop!  Those really were the good old days.  No more of that.  Now with airport screening, travelling has become such a pain.  Add travelling with kids to that and your stress level doubles!  In addition to the security checks, you are praying your child won’t be the one screaming the entire flight.  Trus’ me I know that feeling first hand.  Sometimes you wonder if you really have to take the trip.  I have found however that with a little planning, OK, a lot of planning, air travel can be manageable… most times anyway.

I have two sons and we love to travel.  We have family all over the place and enjoy visiting them.  I’ll share some of the things we do and hopefully you can find a few gems that you can incorporate to make your next trip more enjoyable.  Our elder son is a breeze now, I tell you, it gets better.  He is almost eight years old, so very independent and has traveled several times, so he knows exactly what to do now.

1. His own carry-on- From he was about four or five years old, I would pack his little knapsack or pulley bag with stuff that he would play with on the plane.
2. Items to include-It always had his charged DVD player and movies, playing cards like Go-Fish and Old Maid, little games that we can fold up and put the pieces in Ziploc bags, colouring books and crayons, snacks and a change of clothes.  Now that he is older he is responsible for packing to ensure it has exactly what he wants.
3. Check-I just check it to make sure there are no items that will be confiscated eg. scissors etc.  This little bag is great and usually keeps him occupied the entire flight.

The baby now is a whole other BEAST!  And I do mean BEAST.  He is eleven months and this is really where the anxiety happens and planning has to kick in.

1. Limit the stuff in your hands-Only have your baby and his baby bag if possible.
2. Gate check the gear-Use the stroller as long as possible, so take it with you up to the gate and then just break it down at the plane doors.  I have never carried the car seat on board, I have always checked that in at the counter.  I understand though that if you can take it on board, the infant is the safest in the car seat.  If the seat beside you is empty, perfect!  Keep the baby in the car seat right beside you.
3. In the baby bag have rattles, blankets, snacks, food-tons of it especially if you are not nursing, just in case there is a flight delay, diapers, wipes, juice, change of clothes (I usually have 2 sets).  Put your personal items in one section-travel documents, wallet etc.
4. Time the nap-I am a firm believer in having a sleep schedule.  More on that in a later post.  Anyway, try to time it so that while you are in the air it will be sleep time.  It may not work but it’s worth a try.
5. Nurse/feed during take-off and landing-This is  a BIGGIE!  You have to get their jaws moving to prevent the pressure in their ears from building up.  That can be extremely painful and that can lead to a poor screaming baby!  Word of advice, wait until  the plane is actually “running” down the tarmac.  If you start too early, they can be taxiing for a long time and your baby could finish the “feeding” before the plane takes off.  Not good.  Been there, done that!

I used all of these tips when he was between four and eight months.  Trips were from two hours to four hours in duration.  Gotta tell you the trip went pretty smoothly on the first leg, not so easy on the return leg.  But hey, these are babies right.  It’s all trial and error.

I have to tell you though we have another trip in a few weeks for summer and I admit I am a little anxious.  He is at the age where he now wants to do his own thing.  He doesn’t really want to be held, but  instead explore his surroundings on the floor.  He can’t walk yet, but tries every day.

I just hope he won’t be the screaming kid on the four hour plane ride and I know you hope you aren’t on that  flight either!

What suggestions do you have for traveling with infants?  I am going to need them.  Share them here please.

More travel tips:

Travel Tips: Eliminate Stress For Kids And Parents

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The Kid ‘N’ Play Jamaica blog is a part of the Kid ‘N’ Play JA network. Kid ‘N’ Play JA is an online resource for parents.  We share information on children’s activities and attractions, fun ideas to engage with your children, parent and kid’s articles, promotions and giveaways and so much more.  Experience us at www.kidnplayja.com, Like us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/kidnplayja and Follow us on Twitter @kidnplayja.  Join our conversation as we build a strong community of parents around our children.

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