My children always ask how much things cost

singleagain

Wed, Jan 01 2025, 9:13 am

I would wonder why they are asking?

Are they just comparing because their friends always get expensive toys and they don't?

Did someone tell them Oh we don't buy that. That's too expensive?

Did they maybe have a word problem in math about buying this brand versus that brand and saving how much money

Find out why they're asking and then you can know how to answer them.

↑ hodeez

Wed, Jan 01 2025, 9:23 am

But my kids are young with no concept of money so I don't see the point in having this discussion with them yet. I just tell them ima and aba work hard so they can have the things they need

amother

Myrtle

Wed, Jan 01 2025, 9:33 am

amother OP wrote:

I don't see a reason for them to know the price of everything we buy- but is there a reason to tell them/ not to tell them?

How old are they?
Kids tend to figure out the cost of things as they get older. Especially if you send them out on errands. My kids never asked when they were very young. If a young kid is asking, I'd wonder if they are having anxiety and why. Do they feel they have less than their peers? Do they hear their parents fighting over money or wondering out loud how bills will be paid?

momofqts

Wed, Jan 01 2025, 9:35 am

I tell them if something is expensive.
When I dont think there's s reason for them to know, I say "when you will be paying for it, you will know all the prices. For now, no need for that".
I do sometimes give them prices just for them to appreciate the value of money, not waste an expensive item.

AlwaysGrateful

Wed, Jan 01 2025, 9:38 am

How old are they and what types of things?

If it's a teen and they're interested in understanding how the world works, I talk to them about money sometimes. About how this costs X, and this costs Y, and I'm trying to figure out whether it's worth the extra money. I think that's normal, in context of a conversation. Same if it's something they might think about buying for themselves, and they want to know how much it costs.

I wouldn't tell them, though, how much my mortgage is or how much we make. I might say "a typical mortgage is this amount," or give them an idea of how much people make for different jobs at different levels, but I wouldn't make it personal.

And for younger kids I don't usually talk amounts. I might have the same conversations with them but with round numbers or vague amounts, like "this costs almost twice as much as that, so I decided to get this one instead."

ETA: I think ti's healthy for teens to have some idea of how much things cost. If they don't know if a loaf of bread costs 50 cents or 10 dollars, or they don't know if a car costs 300 dollars or 300,000 dollars, I think they're at a disadvantage as they become an adult.