Dear Dr. Tightwad: Recently, my wife and I were notified by the police that an old parking ticket on my wife's car had never been paid and the fine was being doubled.
My wife didn't recall getting the ticket, and when we questioned my son, a senior in high school, he admitted he was the guilty party.But he didn't show the least bit of remorse. He stuck the ticket in a book and forgot all about it.
We want to teach our son a lesson and make him pay the fine, but we're afraid he'll forget that, too, and we'll end up in traffic court. Any suggestions?
Answer - Don't let your son take you for a ride. Stimulate his memory by standing over him while he writes the check or hands over the cash.
If he pleads poverty, you can pay the fine yourself to clear your name, but dock your son's allowance or attach his earnings if he has a part-time job.
Also, it wouldn't hurt to take away the privilege of using mom's wheels for a while - perhaps the same length of time that the ticket sat in the book.
Dear Dr. Tightwad: With fund-raisers to help needy kids and the Salvation Army on every corner, the holidays offer plenty of opportunities to show children the value of giving. But what can we do the rest of the year?
Answer - Charity begins at home, and for kids the closer to home the better.
Your example is critical. You don't necessarily have to volunteer at a soup kitchen - a commendable act but one for which busy parents often don't have time.
Even a simple thing like contributing to the collection plate at church won't go unnoticed by your kids.
If you have a favorite charity, don't just write the check and send it off. Talk with your children about what you're doing and why.
Don't hesitate to have them set aside part of their allowance to make their own contribution to your place of worship or a favorite cause.
If you have neighbors who are elderly or ill, encourage your kids to offer their services to run errands, read, or just sit and talk.
One father tells about watching his daughter and her friend make crafts to sell at a local park to earn money. When the girls arrived at the park they were disappointed to find a group already there raising funds for a boy who had been injured in an auto accident.
Should they return another day? With Dad's support they set up shop as planned - but gave the proceeds to the injured boy.