Children are influenced strongly by pressures from friends, from TV programs and commercials, and society in general. Often they may seek to imitate friends or TV characters without careful thinking about values. Parents are needed to guide children's value decisions by pointing out alternatives and discussing the consequences of certain choices. Money can therefore be a helpful way for parents to guide children in forming values that are most important to least important. As children consider the choices that face them, they also need to learn that money is not a good in itself.
Money is only a means to certain ends.
Since our money is limited, these ends must be ordered in value. Often the things money buys do give us pleasure. However, parents must be sure children experience other forms of reward and satisfaction. Taking time for a walk in the park together may be far more satisfying to a family than buying a new toy for the child. Children today are facing a future of increasingly limited resources.