What if there were no money in this world? Why not think about that with your child?

What kind of world would it be if there were no money? 🤔

To a child, money is like Doraemon's pocket or a magic lamp that grants wishes; it is an incredibly attractive thing that lets them get whatever they want if they have enough of it.

So, what if...

What kind of imagination would a child use to picture what the world would be like without money?

I want my child to learn about money.

To use a trendy term, I want them to acquire financial literacy. (Personally, I would prefer to call it financial competency or money competency 😅)

I don't want them to get involved in shady part-time jobs or scams.

I don't want my child to struggle with money.

Or, more simply, I want them to become wealthy.

In this day and age, many parents wish for their children to learn about money so they won't struggle with it or be pushed around by it.

On the other hand, there are hardly any parents who can teach their children about money on their own.

It wasn't taught in school, and there is a culture in Japan where talking about money at home is somewhat taboo, so it can't be helped 😅

For those of you in that situation, I highly recommend trying the question I mentioned at the beginning:

What kind of world would it be if there were no money? 🤔

Try talking about this with your child.

There is no right answer.

On the contrary, because there is no right answer, you will be able to have an interesting conversation.

Above all, it will be a great opportunity for parents and children to talk about money.

And I think it will also be a chance to discover the power of your child's imagination that you never knew before😊

For example, why not try discussing topics like these?

1. When buying things
   
   If there were no money in the world, what would you do when buying snacks at the supermarket?
   
   * Exchange something you own
   * What are the good points of bartering?
   * Conversely, what kind of inconveniences would there be?
   
   

2. When receiving services
   
   You want to go to the barber to get a haircut. If there were no money in the world, what would you do?
   
   * If I give them something I own, will they cut my hair?
   * Even if it's not a physical object, is there some service I could provide?
   
   

3. What would happen to Mom and Dad's jobs?
   
   We work and get paid, but what if we couldn't get money?
   
   * Then, what would you get if you worked?
   * Is there any point in working if you don't get money?
   * If there is a point, what kind of point would it be?
   
   

4. If money disappeared, what kind of things would become important in the world?
   
   Money is also a yardstick for judging people, such as thinking rich people are amazing or that someone is a failure if they can't earn enough money.
   
   * What would happen to rich people like Elon Musk now? (How would they be viewed?)
   * Would you still visit grandparents who don't give you New Year's money or pocket money?🤔
   * If there were no money, what would happen to our relationships with others?

Please think with your child about what you could do if the world had no money.

People cannot live alone.

As a "human" living in society, what can you do to live happily even in a world without money?

For example, to make bartering advantageous, you might need negotiation skills or communication skills.

To have someone provide a service for you, it might be better if you could provide a service that the other person cannot do themselves.

Of course, some people might choose to escape from social life and live entirely on their own.

Tilling the fields by yourself, drawing water from the river, and building your own house.

The hoe for tilling the fields, handmade by yourself.

The bucket for drawing water, also handmade by yourself.

You can't even get a saw to cut down trees from someone else, so you have to make it yourself.

Living alone means something like this.

In a world without money, perhaps that kind of life is possible.

While imagining such things, why not have a conversation with your child, without being pessimistic at all😁?

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What lies beyond that conversation?

I believe that in a world where money exists, it leads to children acquiring the ability to properly earn money.

The reason is,

you realize that there are many inconveniences when there is no money.

I think you will come to understand,

what you can do to obtain things you don't have,

how to enjoy yourself,

and how to get help when you or your family are in trouble.

I believe you will come to understand these things.

Using your imagination based on the premise of 'not having' is a quite effective way to think about what is truly important.

'You only realize the importance of health after you get sick'

It's a phrase you hear often, isn't it? 😆

As someone over sixty, I feel it every day. 🤣

Depending on the child's age, imagining a world without money might be a bit difficult.

Don't force it; try talking about it like a game, tailored to your children's level.

However, please be careful not to offer adult-perspective evaluations or criticisms about whether a world without it is good or bad.

Simply imagine what kind of world it would be if there were no money.

And please create an opportunity for children to imagine and think about what they could do in that world.

If the world were without money, our lives would change significantly.

Imagining such a world can be a catalyst for children to think deeply about money.

And it might help them not only gain knowledge about money, finance, and the economy, but also think about how to interact with society and people, and perhaps even reflect on their own values and self-esteem. 😊

It would be wonderful if this helps create an opportunity for parents and children, and the whole family, to talk openly about money without treating it as a taboo! ✨✨✨

At the NPO Money Smile Research Institute that we established last year, we think about such things every day. (^^♪

＊＊

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