appropriate examples for fam life & personal mgmt?

[Lisabob]

So this is a new one for me. The family of one of the boys in my son's patrol is looking at purchasing a new home. The boy is wondering whether he can use that as a discussion point or examples for any of the family life & personal management requirements? For example, rather than doing a budget of his own money, could he do a mock-up budget of what it would take to buy a house? He's an older teen, probably capable of understanding the many variables involved.

 

I'm really not sure - and I'm not the MBC for either of those badges, which I realize, means I actually have no say except maybe to offer general feedback to the boy. Still, I want to offer him a few perspectives, since he asked. I can see where it would make the badge requirements meaningful to him, as it is a big decision that will have a huge impact on him. I can also see where the budgeting requirements in the personal mgmt. badge are supposed to reflect a budgeting goal that the *boy* can meet (not his family). But then too, it could help him to understand how his family deals with big ticket budget items, in terms of whatever final decision they make about buying or not buying a new home. And he'd probably learn a lot about home buying, too.

 

What's the wisdom of the crowd on this?

 

 

[Beavah]

Yah, sure, I'd do it with the lad, as long as he can fulfill the bit about keeping records for 90 days of his family's income and expenditures.

 

I think that would make for a very rich learning experience which is age appropriate for a boy of his age.

 

Beavah

 

[Horizon]

I counsel PM, and I would accept that in a flash. Too often the boys budget for a video game by doing some extra chores, etc. If his parents are willing to open up the books, then go for it.

 

As an aside, my older son enters all of the data into my spreadsheets for taxes each year - it lets him see how much everything costs.