（第３回）お小遣いで子どもがお金について学ぶきっかけを与える

How an Allowance Helps Children Learn About Money
お小遣いで子どもがお金について学ぶきっかけを与える

こんにちは。ただしです。
今日の話題は、Voice of Americaからお小遣いの話です。皆さんは小さいころ、
お小遣いはもらっていましたか。どのように使っていたでしょうか。特にアメリ
カでは、お小遣いは金銭教育の大切なきっかけになっているようです。

それでは、単語から
[Words]
allowance お小遣い
purpose 目的
differs from family to family 家庭によって異なる
consideration 検討事項
electronics 電気製品
sacrifice 犠牲
savings account 銀行の普通口座
compound interest 複利の利息

それでは、放送を聞いてみましょう。

[Sound - Web]
http://www.voanews.com/templates/mediaDisplay.html?mediaPath=http://www.voanews.com/MediaAssets2/learningenglish/dalet/se-econ-children-and-money-22apr11.Mp3&mediaContentID=120417719

[Sound - MP3]
http://www.voanews.com/MediaAssets2/learningenglish/dalet/se-econ-children-and-money-22apr11.Mp3

[Transcript]
This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.

Many children first learn the value of money by receiving an allowance.
The purpose is to let children learn from experience at an age when
financial mistakes are not very costly.

The amount of money that parents give to their children to spend as they
wish differs from family to family. Timing is another consideration.
Some children get a weekly allowance. Others get a monthly allowance.

In any case, parents should make clear what, if anything, the child is
expected to pay for with the money.

At first, young children may spend all of their allowance soon after
they receive it. If they do this, they will learn the hard way that
spending must be done within a budget. Parents are usually advised not
to offer more money until the next allowance.

The object is to show young people that a budget demands choices between
spending and saving. Older children may be responsible enough to save
money for larger costs, like clothing or electronics.

Many people who have written on the subject of allowances say it is not
a good idea to pay your child for work around the home. These jobs are a
normal part of family life.

Paying children to do extra work around the house, however, can be
useful. It can even provide an understanding of how a business works.

Allowances give children a chance to experience the things they can do
with money. They can share it in the form of gifts or giving to a good
cause. They can spend it by buying things they want. Or they can save
and maybe even invest it.

Saving helps children understand that costly goals require sacrifice:
you have to cut costs and plan for the future.

Requiring children to save part of their allowance can also open the
door to future saving and investing. Many banks offer services to help
children and teenagers learn about personal finance.

A savings account is an excellent way to learn about the power of
compound interest.

Compounding works by paying interest on interest. So, for example, one
dollar invested at two percent interest for two years will earn two
cents in the first year. The second year, the money will earn two
percent of one dollar and two cents, and so on.

That may not seem like a lot. But over time it adds up.

And that's the VOA Special English Economics Report, written by Mario
Ritter. We invite you to share your family stories about getting or
giving an allowance. Write your comments at voaspecialenglish.com --
where you can also read, listen and learn with our programs and English
teaching activities. I'm Steve Ember.

どうでしたか。
それでは、記事に関しての質問です。
(Q.1) 家事の手伝いに対してお小遣いを上げるのはいい方法でしょうか？
(Q.2) 多くの銀行はどのようなサービスを提供していますか。
(Q.3) 日本の銀行は複利を使っていますか。

(A.1) いいえ、多くの専門家は普通の家事に対してお金を払うのは良くないと言っ
ています。
(A.2) 子どもや青少年に対して、お金について学べるサービスを提供しています。
(A.3) はい、日本の銀行も複利を使っています。


(Q.1) Is it good idea to pay your child for work around home?
(Q.2) What kind of services do many banks offer?
(Q.3) Do banks use a compound interest in Japan?

(A.1) No, many experts say it is not a good idea.
(A.2) Many banks offer services to help children and teenagers learn
about personal finance.
(A.3) Yes, Japanese banks also use a compound interest.

いかがでしたでしょうか。
お小遣いをただ「もらう」「貯める」「使う」だけでなく。適切なルールと助言
を通して、様々な勉強の可能性が広がりますね。

それでは。
また次回。
See you next time.