Have a Written Plan
Parents, teach your kids to plan. Teach them to put their plans in writing.
Plans are maps. They are strategies. They are the "how to" of getting us from where we are to where we want to be. Plans are a roadmap or blueprint for achieving desired outcomes.
Plans are formalized thinking. They are the process of thinking ahead, considering various factors, and devising a action steps. They involve determining what needs to be done and when; the of setting goals, the defining of objectives, and the developing of strategies.
Planning Produce Powerful Payoffs
Plans give us both a better chance of achieving goals and making dreams come true as well as assisting us in identifying potential pitfalls that diminish our chances of success. They help us eliminate avoidable failures.
Plans also help use limited resources wisely, like our time, money and energy.
Put Plans in Writing
The best plans are in writing. Why? Because plans that are in writing can be easily reviewed, revised, organized, prioritized and improved.
A Money Plan
A money plan is called a budget. Budgets are extraordinarily useful tools. They help us be more intentional with our money, so we use our money more consistently in ways want to.
5 Easy and Fun Steps to Teach Your Kids to Have a Written Plan
Have kids:
Read the words to each songs: Plan lyrics and Budget lyrics.
Read the story Sammy's Big Dream. Review and discuss pages Pages 3 and 11. These pages use the word plan and demonstrate Sammy Rabbit's decision to have a plan to give him a better chance of making his dream come true.
Follow up the song and story with a discussion
Develop a simple plan for saving. Note 1: Sammy Money School members have access to and might also complete Sammy Activity templates titled: My Daily Activity Plan / My Weekly Savings Plan / My Plan / Song Activities
Bonus Exercises
Write out a Grocery Shopping List.
Write out a Daily or Weekly Schedule.
This could include school, extracurricular activities, homework, playtime, and family time. Help them understand the importance of allocating time for different tasks and how planning ahead can lead to better time management.
Plan a Family Outing
Involve your child in planning a family outing or day trip. Let them research and decide on the destination, transportation, activities, and any necessary preparations like packing snacks or checking the weather. This activity will teach them about considering different factors and making arrangements in advance.
Plan a Birthday Party
Have your child plan their own birthday party with your guidance. Ask them to create a guest list, decide on a theme, plan the decorations, and organize activities. They can also create a timeline for when each task needs to be completed. This activity will teach them about setting goals, prioritizing tasks, and coordinating different elements.
Plan a Menu
Ask your child to help plan a meal for the family. Have them decide on the main dish, side dishes, and dessert. They can create a shopping list based on the menu and assist in grocery shopping. This activity will teach them about meal planning, budgeting, and the importance of making lists.
Remember:
(1) provide guidance and support throughout these activities, emphasizing the importance of planning, organization, and flexibility in achieving successful outcomes.
(2) small steps regularly produce magic. They establish the habits that produce predictable outcomes - the kind we like!
Sammy Rabbit says: "You can do it. Now, get to it!"
Let's Get Kids Financially Literate
Let's get kids financially literate and dreaming big, their families and communities too.
Here is what you can do:
Enroll kids in Sammy Rabbit's Money School! Take advantage of our FREE or low-cost, family friendly PREMIUM Memberships today!
Here is how you can make a difference:
Collaborate and partner with Team Sammy on '1' or more financial education strategies. See our Menu of Project Ideas or suggestion one of your own!
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We welcome your questions, suggestions, thoughts about Sammy Rabbit and his mission to get kids, families & communities financially literate.
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More Money Lessons
5 Outstanding Quotes and Sammyriffic Wisdom on Having a Plan
Here are five Sammyriffic quotes on the power of a written plan.
(1) By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.
― Benjamin Franklin
(2) It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.
― Eleanor Roosevelt
(3) A goal without a plan is just a wish.
― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
(4) Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now.
― Alan Lakein
(5) Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.
― Pablo Picasso