You Never Know
Friday, June 20, 2008
A funny thing happened on the way to a Micro Enterprise Conference for youth.
A young lady, 13 years old, was helping me set up the display of the Let’sTalk MONEY game, and asked me what it was.
“It’s a game that teaches you how to talk about money,” I replied. “Wanna play?”
“Sure,” she said, and hopped up into the director’s chair we use for contestants.
She drew a card from the handful I fanned out for her, held it up and read aloud, “If you could change one thing about your financial past, what would it be?”
I immediately assumed she would have no answer. She was only 13 after all, what kind of financial past could she have? But I was wrong. She not only had an answer, she also had a Secret Wish, and a willingness to share it and make it come true.
To Start Talking about the question, she said that what she would change about her financial past was that she would save more money. When asked to Say More about it, she said she wouldn’t spend it all at the mall the moment she got it, but would save some piece of it. Then I asked the next coaching question in the game, “What is your Secret Wish to change or improve this situation?” and she said, ”I would put a little money away each time I made it, to be able to give to youth entrepreneurs like the ones at this conference.”
So we moved into the game questions about her Success Strategy for making her wish come true, and she determined that she would have her dad take her to open a savings account.
Finally, when asked who she would Share the Wealth of her experiences with, she smiled, and without hesitation of any kind said, “Other youth,” and hopped off the chair.
The gift of that conversation was the reminder that productive financial conversation can happen anywhere, anytime, with anybody, as long as we’re curious and open to it. Where can you have a great money talk today?
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Now there’s a kid who’s more tuned in than lots of adults. How refreshing!
Ok, I have never even heard of this game. “let’s talk money ” where do I find it? Walmart ? Sounds fun and informative! I still have a problem making it stretch till the end of the month. Also I figured out that I was afraid of it ( money ) I have no idea where that came from. I know that I am not alone with that either. Perhaps the fear of responsibility of it? One of my husbands and my short-commings in the business area has always been poor management of the monies. Again, I am sure I am not alone. I have had money in my past, and I have had no money………”Having money is more fun” you have way more freedom, so let’s get playing!
I knew I should have played Monopoly more as a child! Remaining forever teachable , Charlie