Fun Money: Learning Finance Through Stories

by FamilyEducation Staff

Francisco wants to be helpful to his Spanish-speaking grandfather by finding him a day of work. Unfortunately, his eagerness gets the better of him and he misrepresents his Abuelo's skills to Ben, the employer, who is in need of a gardener. Ben returns at the end of the day to find that Francisco and Abuelo have pulled out all the plants instead of the weeds! With Abuelo's help, Francisco learns to earn Ben's respect, as well as his money.

Questions for before the story

• How do people in our country get jobs? During the story, you may need to explain why Francisco and his grandfather are waiting in a parking lot with other men to find work.
• What does it mean to be a citizen of the United States?
• Does everybody in this country speak English? What other languages are spoken in this country? What do you do if you do not speak English?
• Have you ever been caught telling a lie? How did you feel?

Questions for after the story

• Why did Francisco think he was doing the right thing by lying to Ben?
• Why was his Abuelo so angry with him for lying?
• Why is Abuelo at a disadvantage in not being able to speak English?
• How could Francisco have convinced Ben to hire his Abuelo without lying?
• What important things does Abuelo already know?

Activities to do together

• Write a job resume. Many job listings ask for a resume, a page or two of information about a person's skills and past work experience. Resumes help an employer choose someone qualified for the job. With your child, write a resume for Abuelo. You might begin with JOB WANTED: A Day's Work. Then list the information under headings, such as Recent Experience, Other Skills (you could include "Spanish-speaker" which might be useful for certain jobs), Interests, Personal Qualities and References (don't forget to include Ben!) After Abuelo's resume is complete, help your child write her own. Suggest that she tailor her resume for household or classroom jobs, or "a day's work" around the neighborhood.

Family Involvement

• Take your child to work! When parents talk about their work and aspirations, children begin to think positively about their own performance in school and beyond. Children are naturally curious about what their parents do outside the home. If possible, bring your child to work one day to let him see exactly what it is you do, and to educate him about the workplace.
• Even young children enjoy the feeling of responsibility that comes from having a "real job." Children are often responsible for personal tasks, such as cleaning up their rooms, but a job that has value to others and earns a bit of money (for example, shoveling snow, raking leaves, or running an errand), can be more gratifying and helps build self-esteem.

Community Connection

• Read your local paper's classified advertisements for jobs. Point out that jobs are categorized alphabetically, and explain the kind of information that ads include, including the desired education and experience, and salary. Check out the Part - Time and Positions Wanted listings, where young people often find jobs.
• "It's never too early to start," is the advice older children may offer your kids about finding a job. Ask students and neighbors who do odd jobs or run their own small business to talk to your child about "job opportunities" for local kids.

Additional Resources:

• Going Home by Eve Bunting. The story of a migrant family from Mexico with beautiful illustrations by David Diaz.
• Amelia's Road by Linda Jacobs Altman. Amelia is tired of her family's lifestyle. Migrant workers must go where the work is, which means moving around a lot. Amelia longs for some sense of permanence, but must find it within herself.
• Chicken Sunday by Patricia Polacco. On Sundays, Miss Eula fries chicken for her grandsons and their friend. The children want to buy "gramma" the hat she admires in Mr. Kodinski's shop, but the old hat-maker thinks that they're the kids who've been throwing eggs at his door. It takes some beautifully decorated Ukrainian Easter eggs and a lot of "chutzpah" to earn his friendship and money for the hat.
• Music, Music For Everyone by Vera B. Williams. Rosa's grandma is sick, so the big chair in the living room is empty, and so is the family's money jar. Rosa, an accordion player, remembers hearing how her other grandma used to earn money as a girl by playing the accordion at parties. That gives Rosa an idea. Together with friends, she forms the Oak Street Band.