Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: In order to become financially responsible adults, children should manage their own money at the young age.
There is no way around the fact that one can hardly do without money, which plays a crucial role in one’s whole life. Arguably, a well-arranged finance leads to a higher quality of life, both financially and mentally. A controversy concering on an issue concerns whether children should manage their own money at the young age in order to become financially responsible adults. I hold negative attitude towards this issue. Of countless reasons or facts that can strenghthen my viewpoint, I will present the most consequential and conspicuous ones here.
The first plain reason for my propensity is that children will waste their money instead of spending it on worthy items no matter whatever adults teach them. As for children, money is the thing letting them obtain sugers, toys, or something else they are longing for.Once they have got money of their own, they would rather spend the last penny to get a piece of chocolate instead of saving it for the lattest toy which would show up the next day.When they see the new toy the next day, they will ask for more money to get it.You cannot blame at them because they are too young to manage their money. What they only know is that money can exchange whatever they want. According to a statistical report from a research institute in my community, in their experiment in a primary school, 60% children between 6 to 8 years old would spend one dollar to get a piece of chocolate immediately even if they were told to save the money till tomorrow and they would get a box of chocolate. Hence,having their own money has nothing to do with the aim of being a financially responsible adults.
Another equally essentail reason is that having their own money at a very young age may distort children’s conception towards money. They can never understand how hard to earn money. Take my little sister as an example. She got 10-yuan for her 6-year-old bithday and spent on a toy bear immediately, just a few days later, she throw the toy away because she fond “hello kitty” more attractive. I told her that she should cherish the things bought by money. To my surprise, she said,“Oh,it doesn’t matter, I can get as much money as I like, mum will give me money.” I cannot blame at her, since how can a 6-year-old girl understand that money is earned by hard working. In children’s eyes, money can be obtain easily. A distort conception of money will be impressed in their mind till they grow up.
Admittedly, managing their own money when people are young children enables ones to learn how to use money earlier. But it is not a good way to make one financially responsible adult.
TOEFL listening lectures: A lecture from a social sciences class (3)