Raise your hand if you\u2019re a mom or dad who hasn\u2019t been \u201ctricked\u201d by the algorithm with the 3-for-2 deal on school supplies, the check that 10000% sends you back for whatever you spend, and the mini-points that let you save more than you ever imagined. I\u2019m going to let you in on a big secret, but don\u2019t let the algorithm find out (I don\u2019t think the world is ready for this\u2026). Well, here goes: the best way to save is not to spend, and even better, to teach children to live simply. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Each of my children\u2019s colored pencils is different and has a purpose. Each has a story. The ruler is scratched up. The pencil sharpener already holds many stories\u2014it watched a pencil get sharpened until it was worn down to almost nothing. I resist buying everything new every year, since these items still have plenty of life left in them. At the end of the school year, I have them empty their pencil cases into a box, and together we look through them, clean them, organize them, and throw away what\u2019s no longer needed. Schools provide a list of required supplies for each child. And my greatest act of rebellion right now is to buy only the bare essentials and shoes (it\u2019s a quirk of mine: I don\u2019t want them to follow in someone else\u2019s footsteps\u2014in the most literal sense). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When something runs out, I restock it. When they lose it, I \u201csell\u201d it to them for a few cents. I always have some in stock, but I want them to appreciate how much things cost. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You might think they're too young to grasp this important message. I used to think it was pointless, too\u2014that maybe this would be useful once they had their own money. But no. Now is the perfect time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In June, I got one of those surprises that fill you with 100% maternal satisfaction. I have to buy new notebooks for two of my kids. The rest get them from school, with the school logo on the cover. One of the kids who uses these (an 11-year-old) came up to me while I was ironing with two whole blank notebooks in hand. And she said to me, \u201cMom, I gathered the unused pages from all my notebooks and made two new ones\u2014I bound them myself. Here, take them in case they\u2019re useful to someone.\u201d Did you feel the same warmth wash over you that I did? A little girl took the time to remove all the loose pages, gather the unused sheets, and make two new notebooks. Of course her brother will use them\u2014which means I was able to buy him two fewer notebooks. And the best part is that she didn\u2019t ask for anything in return: she didn\u2019t say, \u201cWith what you save, will you buy me something?\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This summer I\u2019ve been the talk of the pool\u2014aside from the usual gear a mom of seven brings\u2014snacks, my towel, the baby\u2026 I\u2019d head down with a bag full of mismatched socks, with little holes\u2026 and I\u2019ve spent my time darning and pairing them up. If the body of the sock is in decent shape, the toe and heel are darned until they\u2019re as good as new. Socks are enough to inspire a whole new article; they make me reflect too much. Wearing brand-new socks is one of life\u2019s great pleasures, but so is the realization that by using things for as long as they\u2019ll last, I possess a greater treasure than what consumerism sells us. <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Que levante la mano la madre o el padre al que el algoritmo no tenga \u201cfrito\u201d con el 3×2 en material escolar, el cheque que te devuelve el 10000% de lo que gastes y los minipuntos que te permiten ahorrar m\u00e1s de lo que nunca jam\u00e1s imaginaste. Os voy a desvelar un gran secreto, pero […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3109,"featured_media":64263,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[590],"class_list":["post-64262","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-firmas","tag-educacion"],"yoast_head":"\n