Author Topic: My kids are weird?  (Read 4219 times)

suzziesnow

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My kids are weird?
« on: January 01, 2018, 09:50:42 AM »
Last night we got together with some friends to celebrate the New Year. Our kids are either teens or young adults. Evidently my teens are weird because they hoard their money. My sister in law said "they are weird they don't spend their money they earn, don't they do anything? They should be enjoying life right now!" Wow! My kids are are normal and do normal things! We have never bought them everything they wanted. I don't get this mindset!

Jenny Wren

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Re: My kids are weird?
« Reply #1 on: January 01, 2018, 10:41:51 AM »
Anything that is outside of societal norms is considered weird. My teen is weird because of this, and that's a good thing ;) He's very frugal, not sure if it was a learned or inborn trait! He has his own summer business and he saves nearly all the money. He makes gifts for his friends and is king of coming up with free/cheap things to do with his buddies and SO. Without any prodding from us he has managed to figure out a way to get a free undergrad degree and took the necessary steps to be an early high school admit college student so he could achieve this. He's in his first year of college, but he's already looking into ways to get his master's for free. He's even the one that introduced me to the MMM blog!


Don't be insulted by the weird label -- celebrate it! The world needs more weird, then eventually the tides turn and the mindless consumers become the weird ones! ;)

FINate

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Re: My kids are weird?
« Reply #2 on: January 01, 2018, 12:11:32 PM »
FIRE and MMM aren't normal. Many people will never really retire, or will do so extremely late in life. No problem if that's their goal. But what I find weird are the huge number of folks who say FI(RE) is a goal, dream of escaping wage slavery, and then go on living a "normal" life, as if doing what everyone else is doing will magically produce exceptional results. Even see this on the MMM forum sometimes -- people unwilling to make even modest changes (phone plans, eating out less, downsizing, and such) -- because 'Mericans feel entitled to have it all, even though the disastrous consequences of this mindset are evident all around us.

So I say, embrace the weirdness :)

suzziesnow

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Re: My kids are weird?
« Reply #3 on: January 01, 2018, 03:30:17 PM »
After listening to everyone bitch and moan about their kids and money I am so thankful that mine are tight with it. I was just surprised my kids were called out for not being "normal". Wow! I am embracing this. My oldest is learning a trade from his Uncle who is a master because he didn't want a student loan. His uncle is graciously teaching him and paying him to learn. In 2 years he will be able to sit for the state certifications. I am so proud of him, he found a way to do it without a student loan! Youngest is still in school and at but doesn't want to go into debt either.  Now just finding a way to get them to invest a little cash and not wait like dh and I have done.

soccerluvof4

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Re: My kids are weird?
« Reply #4 on: January 03, 2018, 04:21:01 AM »
I wish my kids were "weird" and hoarded there money. If that were the case I would be more willing to give them some.

Plugging Along

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Re: My kids are weird?
« Reply #5 on: January 04, 2018, 08:02:50 AM »
I get my kids are weird all the time, heck i was told as a kids i was weird all the time.  I have been teaching my kids it’s a badge of honour.  essentially any normal is how everyone does thing, which is average, we have said we strive to be better than average. 

My kids don’t like sweets that much, and are super selective on what they eat in terms of sweets.  My youngest traded her desserts for tomatoes (i think she got the lesser deal and could have gotten more, but she was happy)   Both my kids would rather read and books are their favorite present vs toys.  They save close to 50% of the mone6 they receive, and donate up to 20%.   They love school and their favorite subject is math, they both beg to be 8; the extracurricular math (I didn’t want them in it because it was so expensive).

I even think these things are a little weird, but I will tak wierd  anyday.   I think think m6 kids are awesomelyweird, and love it.   They used to feel a little hurt when they heard these comments, now they own it. 

forever high

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Re: My kids are weird?
« Reply #6 on: January 04, 2018, 11:53:43 AM »
I don't think they're weird at all. If only I were like them when I was I kid.

formerlydivorcedmom

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Re: My kids are weird?
« Reply #7 on: January 05, 2018, 12:33:24 PM »
I get my kids are weird all the time, heck i was told as a kids i was weird all the time.  I have been teaching my kids it’s a badge of honour.  essentially any normal is how everyone does thing, which is average, we have said we strive to be better than average. 

My kids proudly tell everyone that you can't be a member of our family unless you are weird.  It's a requirement.  So far, at least, when peers call them weird they say "thanks, that's what we're aiming for."  My oldest, 12, told me she likes her friends because they are weird like her.

It's hard for a lot of people to accept that there are other ways to do things.  Be grateful your kids are weird.

jinga nation

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Re: My kids are weird?
« Reply #8 on: January 16, 2018, 02:23:13 PM »
@suzziesnow I was that weird kid in the mid 90s. Saved up all my money. Used to buy and sell video game consoles in East Africa so I could buy my own Nike/Adidas kicks. Worked for my dad during school holidays. Would save my mum money by walking to the kiosk shops and buying milk, bread, eggs, etc. No need to use the car or make dad go on errands after a long day at work (and so that I could play with dad). At times I would give away the stash to my grandfather for safekeeping (as I couldn't open a bank account for a minor). I would always forget about it, then when I remembered I'd ask for it back, Grandpa would say it was used to pay for school tuition or karate.
I think I was thrifty early on due to my family being that way, born into the mindset.

Meesh

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Re: My kids are weird?
« Reply #9 on: January 17, 2018, 04:53:04 PM »
I get my kids are weird all the time, heck i was told as a kids i was weird all the time.  I have been teaching my kids it’s a badge of honour.  essentially any normal is how everyone does thing, which is average, we have said we strive to be better than average. 

My kids proudly tell everyone that you can't be a member of our family unless you are weird.  It's a requirement.  So far, at least, when peers call them weird they say "thanks, that's what we're aiming for."  My oldest, 12, told me she likes her friends because they are weird like her.

It's hard for a lot of people to accept that there are other ways to do things.  Be grateful your kids are weird.

I love this and am stealing it. lol my son gets upset when people think he's "weird".