Managing the Snack Attack

Once kids are aware that something called sugar exists, that's all they seem to want. Snacking at our house was becoming more and more unhealthy, and more and more frequent. Then we used the idea of a store as a way to teach a few concepts to our kids. The kids are healthier, more money-savvy, and having fun!

Maybe three times a week, when
my little brother and I got home from
school, Mom had some sort of snack waiting
for us. My favorites were toast strips with
cinnamon and sugar, along with some hot
chocolate. But aside from that, snacking just
wasn’t really done.

Well, apparently I haven’t gotten the
no-snacking concept across as well as my
mom did, because my kids seem to always be
ready for a treat. And it’s hardly ever a request
for carrot sticks or apple slices. Sometimes
I’m so tired of their demands that I give in,
even though I know it’s not good for them.

Someone suggested the kids earn the
treats through chores and good behavior,
but I didn’t want chores and good behavior
to seem like something so extraordinary that
they got a treat out of it. I started thinking
about how they could pay for it in other
ways and thought maybe cash would work.

Then I noticed my seven-year-old daughter,
Emily, playing house and thought she might
like playing store, too.
I took my four kids to
the store and let them each
choose two treats, then threw in
fruit, vegetables, and some 100% juice boxes.

We stocked a shelf I cleared out of the pantry,
and since Todd, age ten, and Kyle, age
eight, are both learning math, I enlisted their
help fixing prices to each snack. The vegetables
are free, fruit and juice are around a
quarter each, crackers are seventy-five cents,
candy bars are two dollars, and everything
else falls somewhere in between. With that,
our little snack shop was born!

We open the doors after school every
day and plan on opening two times a day
during the summer. I give each of my kids
five dollars of pretend money for the week.

The first week Kyle and Anne, age five, spent
all of their money by Wednesday, but within
three weeks had managed to make it last
until Saturday. My kids are all learning to eat
healthier and becoming familiar with managing
money. In the last month, each of them
has wanted a turn being the shopkeeper, and
so they are learning some customer service
skills, too!

Do you have a great idea? A tip for a church calling? A fun
and educational family activity? Basically any idea that
has made your life a little easier or a little more fun? We
want to hear about it and share it! Email editor@ldsliving.com with your great idea.

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