| Yes, you can have the joy of raising children | | | | - Cooking and baking. By incorporating |
| without going broke -- although it will not | | | | children into your kitchen activities, you |
| be easy. We live in a very materialistic | | | | kill two birds with one stone. They play (for |
| society, it is incumbent upon all of us to | | | | free), and you get some work done. |
| teach our children well. They will feel the | | | | |
| tug of peer pressure, the "need" to have $100 | | | | - Music. Teaching children to love music is a |
| Air Jordans. If you can teach them money | | | | reward unto itself. Whether it be listening |
| literacy early, you will have gone a long way | | | | to Mozart on CD, playing the flute, or |
| toward saving them years of financial and | | | | drumming that wooden spoon, music can be a |
| emotional grief. | | | | compelling, wonderful, affordable activity. |
| | | | |
| Kids learn best by example. If they see you | | | | - Reading. If children learn early enough, |
| buying new shoes every month, they will want | | | | they can't stop. That you can check out |
| new shoes. If you get the newest computer | | | | endless books for free from the library makes |
| every six months, they will want the new | | | | reading that much better. Books can also be |
| Nintendo. If they see you being smart with a | | | | purchased cheaply at yard sales, book fairs, |
| dollar, they just might learn that, too. | | | | and church bazaars. Have children write their |
| | | | own books. Read to your children every day. |
| There are scores of ways to have fun with | | | | |
| your kids, teach them positive values, and | | | | - Computer. If you have a home computer, the |
| still save money. What is your favorite | | | | possibilities are endless. CDs make learning |
| Halloween costume of all time? It is probably | | | | fun and can often be found in the bargain bin |
| safe to say that it was not some prefab, | | | | at the computer store for a few dollars. The |
| storebought costume, but rather a homemade, | | | | Internet is a vast resource of fun and |
| creative masterpiece. Keep that in mind as | | | | learning. Install an inexpensive blocking |
| you strive to give your kids the best without | | | | program, and let them go explore the world. |
| teaching them the worst. | | | | |
| | | | - Sports. Sports can usually be played for |
| Art projects are a fine example. Children | | | | the cost of a football, basketball, or |
| love to make art, to express themselves with | | | | Frisbee. |
| pictures when words may be hard to find. | | | | |
| Crayons are great for the little ones, and | | | | - Games. They need not be expensive. Puppets |
| most newspapers sell newspaper end-rolls for | | | | can be made out of lunch bags. Use old |
| a song just to get rid of it. Add some | | | | clothes for dress-up. Puzzles are pretty |
| scissors, glitter, string, markers, beads, | | | | cheap. |
| and buttons, and you have an afternoon of | | | | |
| relative peace and quiet. Why not keep all | | | | - Money. Help them start a business. The kids |
| the packaging you throw away every week? | | | | can solicit neighbors for a summer |
| Anything can be a part of a work of art. | | | | pet-sitting or pet-washing service. They can |
| | | | wash cars or sell lemonade. They can |
| Other great, inexpensive activities include | | | | baby-sit. |
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