For the longest time, I debated on when I thought would be the right time to introduce my kids to silver and gold. I want them to know the difference between real money and all other mediums of exchange. In order to do that, they need to be at a maturity level to appreciate it and notice there's a difference between clad coins and those made of silver and gold.
My oldest son turns five in a few months and for the past few months I'd catch him taking random quarters off my nightstand to go play with them.
I ended up buying some copper coins with planes and tanks and other designs on them to start him out, but I'm saving them for his birthday.
This morning he grabbed the silver 2023 Cook Island HMS Bounty coin I had on my nightstand. Apparently he likes ship designs, much like myself, so when I asked if he wanted to keep it, he didn't hesitate to say "Yes!"
I gave him a very basic lesson that silver and gold are real money. I also showed him how to balance it on his finger and tap it to make it ring. He got a little frustrated that his fingers were too small to balance the one ounce coin and do it himself, so I reassured him he'd be able to do it as he got older.
He played with it on the floor for a little while, then switched to playing with the new truck we got him last night that stores all of his cars and has a small ramp for cars to go down. He asked to watch some TV and I agreed. I assumed he had forgotten about the coin and lost it, because when I looked at the floor it was nowhere to be found. To my surprise, when I asked him where the coin went, he said he had it right next to him on the couch.
I couldn't be more proud. I think he's ready. I'm looking forward to helping him and my younger son become the next generation of stackers in our family! 馃榿
