It’s winter in France. The weather is cold and windy. People are wearing sweaters and sunglasses. But everyone is having a good time. Friends are having meals in restaurants. In the park, a musician is singing with his group, and some boys are playing football in the square. One old man is taking photos of Eiffel Tower. Look at these young girls, they are playing computer games.While in Australia, it’s in shorts. It’s very hot. People are enjoying sunshine on the beach. Some girls are playing beach volleyball, and two boys are swimming in the sea.

Parents should help their children understand money.     1     So you may start talking about money when your child shows an interest in buying things, candy or toys, for example.

The basic function(功能) of money

Begin explaining the basic function of money by showing how people trade money for goods or services. It’s important to show your child how money is traded for the thing he wants to have. If he wants to have a toy, give him the money and let him hand the money to the cashier (收银员).     2     When your child grows a bit older and understands the basic function of money, you can start explaining more complex ways of using money.

Money lessons

Deal with money lessons with openness and honesty.     3     If you must say no to a child’s request to spend money, explain, “You have enough toy trucks for now.” Or, if the request is for many different things, say, “You have to make a choice between this toy and that toy.”

    4    

Begin at a big store. Pick out similar brands (品牌) of a product—a famous brand and an ordinary brand, for example. You can show your child how to make choices between different brands of a product so that you can save money,     5     If he chooses the cheaper brand, allow him to make another purchase with the money saved. Later, you may explain how the more expensive choice leaves less money for other purchases.

【推荐3】School Gardens Could Help Children Try More Vegetables

It’s not always enjoyable for children to eat vegetables. But what if a garden is built in the school? New research suggests that a gardening program in schools can increase children’s vegetable intake (摄入量) .

How the Study Was Carried Out

The study was carried out in eight schools. Each school was in the gardening program for one school year. Every child in grades 3-5 received a total of eighteen 60-minute lessons across the school year. In the program, each school built a garden, where children learned to grow their own fresh produce, like fruit and vegetables.

The Benefits Children Could Get

The study found that vegetable intake of the children who grew their own produce increased greatly across the year. Related studies show that increased vegetable intake can improve health and cut the risk of chronic diseases (慢性疾病) . Not only are there benefits to health, increasing the variety of vegetables children are exposed (接触) to may also make mealtimes much easier. “Children who are often exposed to a variety of vegetables are more likely to try new foods,” explains Dr. Kerry Jones. For children, growing their own food is a powerful tool to increase their intake of the food.

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Any opportunity to expose children to more vegetables is meaningful. “If children are learning about vegetables at school, it’s important to encourage this interest” says Jones. Parents can listen to their children about what they have learned and read the handouts they bring home from school. Parents and children can also read books together. Younger: children can enjoy reading stories about vegetables with parents who offer useful message. Older children may enjoy searching through cookbooks with parents to find new dinner ideas to cook vegetables in a tasty way. Besides, a small planter box in a sunny part at home can encourage children to understand more about where their food comes from.

Teaching children to grow their own produce is a great way to increase their preference for the produce. If children are taught to enjoy vegetables early in life, they will probably continue eating vegetables in the long term.