All three kids nabbed a management-level position (and learned about money in the process)—but her six-year-old impressed the most!
Photos: Courtesy of Shaketha McGregor
Teaching kids the value of money can be a tedious task for any parent. How much do you give them for allowance? Do they get to spend it all or put some in savings? Should they donate some of their earnings to charity?
One creative Georgia mom decided that the best way for her kids to learn about money management was to give them a taste of the working world—so she turned household chores into three legit roles and had them apply at a pretend job fair, complete with applications and interviews! Shaketha Marion McGregor even went as far as creating help wanted ads for the three positions: kitchen manager, lead housekeeper and laundry supervisor. We're literally taking notes while giggling at her brilliant idea!
The mother of three posted about the job fair on her Facebook page on Tuesday and it quickly went viral with more than 99,000 shares. Check it out below:
McGregor told TODAY Parents that she came up with the genius plan after taking her kids on a shopping trip where they were allowed to spend their own money. “I gave each of them a few bucks and said, ‘Spend it any way you want,’” she explained. “It was different than me buying them something — they were suddenly checking prices. I noticed they were more cautious because it was their money. They wanted to save.” Cue her lightbulb moment!
She also took to Facebook to explain that she was beyond tired of her kids constantly asking for things like new phones and allowances. She decided to give them her two cents by surprising them with the job fair when they returned from school, because come on kids—nothing in life is free!
"If you want it, work for it, earn it! And yes, I also have an in home credit union lol #ThisMomMeansBusiness#IWonderWhoWillGetFiredFirst" she wrote.
Each management-level position (because who needs to start at the bottom when your mom's the boss?) comes with different responsibilities, as outlined in McGregor's hilariously thorough job descriptions. The kitchen manager must make sure the kitchen stays clean at all times during business hours and have everyone wash their dishes, while the laundry supervisor is responsible for ensuring clothes and shoes are clean and neatly put away.
To make the process as fair as possible (equal employment opportunities for the win!) she had each of her kids fill out an “Application For Employment” detailing their previous work experience, availability and desired pay. McGregor later conducted interviews, where six-year-old Serinity said she could start immediately while "my 13-year-old needed a few days because he wanted to hang out with his friends." Eldest Jahkeem also asked some hard-hitting questions about tax deductions, and 10-year-old Takeia felt that putting on a British accent made her sound more "polished and desirable."
But ultimately, it was little Serinity who impressed mom the most with her professionalism.
Tons of parents have shown their support on Facebook, many of them paying it forward and sharing their plans to host their own job fairs at home with their kids.
It's definitely an idea to keep in mind the next time your little one wants to blow the entire contents of their piggy bank!
Read more:
Blue Ivy's allowance is sightly out of control
Why you should give your kid an allowance
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