by Beth Kobliner, Huffington Post

“Are we there yet?”

“Is it my turn now?”

“I’m bored!”

Waiting for anything is so hard for kids. Whether it’s for a swing in the park, a trip to the zoo, or saving for a new pack of Gogo’s (my son loves these plastic figurines — anyone else’s kid obsessed?), our children are learning a powerful life lesson: how to delay gratification.

It all began with a marshmallow. In the late 1960s, Stanford professor, Walter Mischel, gave little kids one marshmallow and told them they could eat it now, or wait and be rewarded with another one later. Then, he left them alone for 15 minutes. Some kids caved and ate it, while others waited, even though it was agonizing.

Mischel tracked these kids throughout their lives and his findings were remarkable: The kids who were able to delay gratification had fewer behavior problems, lower stress, stronger friendships, and even higher SAT scores!

In fact, a recent Wall Street Journal essay argues that French parents are superior because they teach their kids to wait. (First, French women don’t get fat and now they’re better moms? Mais non!)

So, how can you raise one of these marshmallow-waiting, money-saving, super-savvy kids? There are lots of tips on waiting and saving in Money as You Grow, a project I am working on as a member of the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability. Money as You Grow is a set of 20 age-appropriate financial lessons that kids need to know as they grow, written in simple, down-to-earth language.

Here are some teachable money moments to try, with options for kids of all ages:

For kids age 3 to 5…
You may have to wait before you can buy something you want.

When your child is standing in line for a turn on the swings, or looking forward to her favorite holiday, point out that sometimes we have to wait for things we want.
Find three jars (or cans) and label one for saving, one for spending, and one for sharing.
Suggest that your child put some of the money she gets into the saving jar, so she can buy a toy or treat when she has saved enough.

For kids age 6 to 10…
It’s good to shop around and compare prices before you buy.

With your child, compare prices for a particular toy at various online or brick-and-mortar stores.
Use coupons and discount cards and show your child how much you are saving.
Consider allowing her to keep part of the savings, but only if she helps clip or print out coupons.

For kids age 11 to 13…
You should always try to save at least a dime for every dollar you receive.

Encourage your child to always save 10 percent of the money he gets.
Have your child set a goal to buy something he wants and have him work toward that amount.
To reinforce the savings habit, go to the bank two to three times a year with your child to deposit savings into his account and look at how much bigger the balance is on each visit.
Consider a “matching plan” for your child’s savings: You put in 25 cents for every dollar he saves.

For kids age 14 to 18…
A great place to save and invest money you earn is in a Roth IRA.

If your child has a job, encourage him to open a Roth IRA (Individual Retirement Account).
Explain that a Roth IRA allows the interest you earn to grow tax-free for life.
Experiment with different amounts of savings and interest rates. Use a compound interest calculator at investor.gov.
Use the “Rule of 72″ to estimate how many years it would take to double your money. If you invest in an account that earns 8 percent interest, you’ll double your money in nine years (72 divided by 8 is 9).
Explain to your child that once he starts a job, he may be offered a similar account at work called a 401(k). Some employers even provide matching contributions.

For kids age 18+…
You should use a credit card only if you can pay off the money owed in full each month.

Understand that when a parent cosigns, any late payments you make will also affect their credit history.
Paying bills late can hurt your credit history and affect your chances of getting a job.
Get free credit reports once a year at annualcreditreport.com.
Look for a credit card with a low interest rate and no annual fee.
There may be an emergency expense that you can’t pay off immediately and need to charge. That’s why it’s important not to charge everyday items.
To learn more about the credit card rules, go to federalreserve.gov.

How have you encouraged your kids to wait or save money? Share your stories!

Warning: The following images may be seriously disturbing. Especially if you are mysophobic.

I call this art piece “Bull Terrier in Orange”.

Aren’t you awed by how creative my naming techniques are?

More important to me than its name is knowing how the birthday girl will love and treasure this hand made gift, no matter how lop-sided I had sewn her dog to be. Sorry. Sewing straight has never been, and may never be, my forte. Besides, its boring. :)

Wanna make your single friends all uncomfortable and tense? Simply dump your 2 month old baby in their arms and watch in amusement. Tried and tested formula.

Can I have those delicious looking drumsticks please?

Together with those hamburger buns thankewverimuch!

A few people had came to me before and told me of their “magical” experience with childbirth. They claimed that the minute they saw their bundles of creamy joy being put on their chest, they forgot all the excruciating pain and bla bla bla… dah dah dah…

I will not hesitate to tell the truth about my birthing experience too. That it was a horrific one.

I had woken up bleeding in the ungodly hours of the night and alone because D-man was away serving the army. I showered and packed my bag before hailing a cab to the hospital. Upon admitting myself, I was told that I needed an emergency c-section right away due to a complication with my placenta. As the doctor goes on to explain the procedure, I had already zoomed out and was in my mind counting the number of hours I had wasted on researching the benefits of drug-free childbirth, the time and dollars spent on pre-natal yoga, consultations with a doula etc, all just to gear up for the much raved about natural labour.

It would be pure hypocrisy to say I was not disappointed with the method of delivery. It certainly doesn’t help that everyone around you are committed advocates of natural childbirth. But did it made me any less of a mother? Hell no, and my sentiments are shared by all my loved ones.

What I am really saying is…if you kicked the kerb & tripped into the same emotional manhole of blaming yourself for a less than perfect birth experience (whatever that is), it’s ok. Just get up, swear, brush the dirt off yourself and move on. The roses and rainbow are right ahead, and will be personally delivered to you by your very own cherub

I absolutely not want to be one of those annoying parents who has 10 Facebook albums of their baby despite the kid being only 2 weeks old. And don’t get me talking about those mums who start and end all their conversations with “my baby..”.

But I realize it’s pretty damn hard not to share pictures as adorable as these…

What are you hiding in your cheeks sweetheart?

I’ll totally understand though if you decide never to come to this site again.

Love,
Addict

It’s been quite a while. The fact that I still remember how to turn on the computer and type this is a miracle by itself.  Do forgive me though, for you see, I’ve been involved in the mega project of colossal scale.

Meet the latest member of the Peonies family!!!

In between endless feedings and diaper changes, I will try to update my beloved blog but if I don’t, you know why (especially all the mommies out there. Btw here’s a long overdue salute!).