Gratitude to Last a Lifetime: Family Fun Financial Literacy 💸

The greatest gifts we give aren’t wrapped — they’re lived. This season, let our children see generosity, compassion, kindness, and joy in every choice we make.

Welcome back to the Refreshing the Joy of Parenting newsletter! 📰

Though turkey day is right around the corner, we’re deviating slightly from our Thanksgiving themes, with a reintroduction into family fun financial literacy!

Not only is it our responsibility as parents to raise bright, kindhearted kids, but also financially literate little ones. To set them up for tomorrow, we must “train them up” to be grounded, well-rounded, and well-versed in both character and money.

The two go hand-in-hand, especially the latter.

Starting this month, we’re breaking the two concepts per edition: the first will focus on family time character development, and the second on family fun financial literacy.

We’re excited about these changes and for what’s to come!

And if you haven’t seen our Familytime Character Development edition, give it a read afterwards — Happy Thanksgiving, Newsletter Family! 🦃

Let’s get into it!

What’s Down Below

1. 💸 Piggy Bank Tutor: Raising Money Smart Kids — Milestones (by Age) & Pillars

2. 💸 Piggy Bank Tutor: Kids & Money Is A Family Affair

3. 🎉 Family Fun on a Shoestring Budget: Local Libraries

4. 🍽️ Dinnertime is Familytime: Brown Butter Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

5. 👩🏽‍🍳 Cooking with the Kids (Activity): Turkey Veggie Tray with Cheese Ball Dip

6. 💆🏽‍♀️ Self-Care & Wellness for Busy Moms & Dads: Nighttime Wind-Down

7. 📌 Resources: North Texas Event Calendars (Family Fun Free Activities!)

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💸 Piggy Bank Tutor: Raising Money Smart Kids

Raising Money Smart Kids — Milestones (by Age) & Pillars

Photo Credit: Piggy Bank Tutor

Welcome to the first financial literacy edition — Piggy Bank Tutor’s Raising Money Smart Kids! Today will be an introduction to the PBT’s pillars and their associated milestones.

LeLe, CeCe, BeBe, and The Wolf each represent a milestone age group — feel free to adjust to your kid’s or teen’s level of understanding. They will be your Math-Money Coaches to guide your child’s (hey, and maybe even yourself!) Financial Literacy Journey!

Money Smart Pillars

• Identifying Money (yellow)

• Earning money (blue)

• Saving money (green)

• Spending money (red)

• Giving money (purple)

• Investing money (orange)

In the coming Financial Literacy editions, we’ll break down a pillar per milestone age group, and in the section below, “Kids & Money Is A Family Affair”, we’ll feature a lesson associated with the pillar discussed here.

In the meantime, check out the above chart for what’s to come!

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💸 Piggy Bank Tutor: Kids & Money Is A Family Affair!

Introducing Money-Math Coaches LeLe, CeCe, BeBe & The Wolf!

LeLe is the whimsical type, a flower in the wind; despite understanding the difference between needs and wants, he’s always spending money and never thinks about tomorrow or plans for the future.

CeCe knows his way around budgeting, price comparison, and delayed gratification, and though he tries to save money, he typically fails to follow through with his monthly budget and is, consequently, inconsistent with his money management. He’ll have a good few months, then will find himself right back where he started.

BeBe is disciplined in money management. He understands and adheres to his budget by tracking his spending and always saves at least 10% of his monthly income. He’s a wonder in self-control, delaying his gratification to make big purchases. BeBe is financially secure with a healthy savings and some assets.

The Wolf is a rude and, well, admittedly, sometimes, mean dude. He has no manners (though he’s trying with BeBe’s guidance), but he just so happens to be an excellent investor.

The first lessons and activities will come in the next edition.

Until then!

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🎉 Family Fun on a Shoestring Budget

Local Libraries — Entertaining, Imaginative & Formative for Little Ones & Adults Alike

Photo Credit: Adobe Stock

Your local libraries are a go-to for family fun activities, for the kids and yourself!

My sister and I grew up in the Arlington and Mansfield public libraries. Not only did this foster a love and wonder for literature, the arts, creativity, travel, and imagination as a whole, but it kept us thoroughly entertained, especially while mom (Ms. Gloria) was getting her Bachelor’s in Business Studies and Master’s in Education.

The library was a part of our weekend ritual. We so looked forward to walking into the glorious *child’s eyes* brick-enclosed sliding doors, the cool air beckoning as we entered the library’s dimly lit main entrance… light escaping as the ever-changing diorama stands grandiose in its splendor, on central display. And the smell… oh, the smell of old books and crisp printer paper envelopes us as we pass the diorama and make way to the junction, to the left, the children’s section, and to the right, the “grownups”… The impression clearly remains!

Those were formative days for our child selves. So many memories, so much exploration (back then, you could let your kids wander freely) in a building so big, so significant to a child’s eyes, so many books skimmed through, checked out, and read from childhood to adolescence…

Oh, I love the library; I still go as an adult today (and I’m now a professional writer). ☺️

All this to say, visit your local library, disperse, hang out, and check out the weekly or monthly bulletin for free events and activities — you’ll find stuff for yourself, the kids, grandparents — everyone!

You don’t need much to have fun as a family. And you may open the door to a whole new world of imaginative joy and awe your child would’ve never known before (or acquired without).

📌 And if the library doesn’t “do it” for your household, we’ve compiled a list of North-Texas city-specific parks and recreation calendars, complete with free family fun activities, down in our resources below!

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🍽️ Dinnertime is Familytime

Family dinner isn’t just a meal; it’s a designated time to connect as a family through conversation, good eats, and memories in the making. Kids and teens alike thrive with family time, dinnertime — bonds grow, brains develop, and everyone leaves the table feeling loved and valued. 🥰

That extends to you, too, Mom and Dad. 💞

And with Thanksgiving season among us…

It’s the perfect opportunity to bring your kids in while mom and/or dad’s daily cooking efforts — and even make it a habit — to not only equip them with the life skills they’ll ultimately need once they leave the nest, but to give them an appreciation (to recognize the fullness) of your daily efforts keeping them fed, loved, and looked after.

And on Thanksgiving day, hey, let’s make it a week-long activity: before digging in, have everyone around the table say what they are thankful for and why (you know the tradition 😉).

So, what’s for dinner? 😋

Thanksgiving Edition: Brown Butter Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies 🤤

Photo Credit: Sally’s Baking

And while this is no dinner recipe (everyone’s got their own Thanksgiving traditions, no dinner recipes this edition!), it’s a delicious🤤 Friday afternoon/weekend post-Thanksgiving “break away from the pies” treat!

No, an indulgence — just look at that photo. 🫠

😭

Knock those socks off — your guests will be blown back to July. 😉

Let’s get a cookin’!

Find Sally’s delicious recipe here.

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🍪 Baker’s Note: Sally’s got a wealth of details on how to get these cookies just right. Really take your time reading through her recipe notes. And for the oatmeal adverse, she’s got you covered; check out her Super Soft Pumpkin Cookies for a scrumptious Thanksgiving-themed cookie alternative indulgence! Yummy, yum, yum!

We have no affiliation with Sally’s Baking; we just came upon the recipe and had to share!

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👩🏽‍🍳 Cooking with the Kids (Activity)

Turkey Veggie Tray with Cheese Ball Dip

Photo Credit: Key To My Lime

While it’s more prep work than anything, this cheese dip turkey veggie tray is a delicious Thanksgiving Day appetizer to get the kids involved in the big day’s preparation!

Don’t you just love goat cheese… so creamy… 🤤

Thank you, Alexa!

Find Alexa’s simple, yet oh-so-yummy recipe here.

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🦃 Some turkey-day alternatives (for the more savory households) include Melissa’s Cheese Tray Turkey or Heather’s Roasted Squash Hummus.

We have no affiliation with any of these websites or brands. Just sharing some recipes — enjoy!

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💆🏽‍♀️ Self-Care & Wellness for Busy Moms & Dads

Nighttime Wind-Down (Your Sacred Space)

Whether you’re a single parent or a two-parent household, we all need that me time more than ever these days. And while moving parts are a given, and juggling them becomes a national sport (especially for single parents), there are small moments in our day-to-day that we can carve out a little me time. Bedtime is one of them.

After settling the little ones for bed— the earlier the better (7 pm, for instance, gives you ample time for a bit of self-care before you’re off to sleep) — spend the next 2-3 hours indulging in some much-needed, much-deserved “me time”.

Be it exercise, stretching, bathtime, reading, journaling, painting your nails, gaming, or any combination (what do you need most? What did you enjoy doing in your free time as a kid?), this time is for you.

Make a mental note, grab a sticky, or set that reminder in your phone; this is now (a part of) your nightly ritual. 🌃

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📌 Resources

North Texas Event Calendars (For Free Activities!)

• Dallas

• Fort Worth

• Plano

• Richardson

• Frisco

• Arlington (scroll and click, “Afterschool Care”, “Day Camps”, “Fine Arts”, etc.)

• Irving

• Mansfield

• Allen

• McKinney

• Flower Mound

• Wichita Falls

• Celina (scroll and click, “Select a Calendar” in the top right-hand corner)

• Prosper

• Lewisville

• Waxahachie

• Paris

• Coppell

• Colleyville

• Justin (see the left-hand panel and click each event for details)

• Addison

We have no affiliation with any of the organizations, just sharing community resources!

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More Goodness Coming Soon 💗

That’s it for today’s edition! Thank you for taking the time to give this a read; we appreciate it greatly, and as always, we hope you found it insightful and inspiring.

🎗️ And remember, while we’re forever parents, parenting is seasonal, and above all, foundational. We want to lay a firm foundation of love, confidence, and self-respect in our little ones.

Words matter. So, uplift your children, speak life to them — and especially to yourself — and life (and love) will flow. ♾️

We only get one opportunity; this is your now!

Sending hugs & smiles,

Ms. Gloria, The Parenting Mom & her daughter, Naja! 🫶🏽

Creating lasting family traditions & turning everyday moments into joyful memories.

Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃

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P.S. Parents, teachers, community leaders, and everyone in between, this is a MOVEMENT! Together, we’re building a community to refresh the joy of parenting, and your help is appreciated.

Share this newsletter with family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, acquaintances… everyone! 🤗

Let’s make — and be — the difference! 💞

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📍 Interested in advertising or becoming a sponsor? Let’s talk!

📍 Would you like to book Ms. Gloria as a keynote speaker? Contact us.

📍 To learn more about refreshing the joy of parenting: Character Avenue.

📍 For family fun, financial literacy products & events: Piggy Bank Tutor.