Decisions..Decisions..Decisions..
Have you ever seen a young child in
Toys 'R Us, with $10 in his pocket and trying to decide on which toy he will
spend his prized birthday stash?
I have! That was my son many years ago. After looking around for about 30 minutes, he finally had it narrowed down to 3 toys, and couldn't make up his mind. This was a very important decision! Actually, one of his first on his own. But without help, he finally gave in to tears, asking mom to please make a choice for him.
As a young mother, I suddenly realized that making decisions don't come naturally. Decision-making, whether we realize it or not, is a step-by-step process. A process that needs to be learned.
Even you children make decisions everyday - many are little ones of no great consequence, but later on they will face more complicated situations that call for good choice making with issues of more consequence. Teaching economics can give students the decision-making skills and knowledge they will need to become better consumers, producers, employees, citizens, and parents.
The Kentucky Council on Economic Education wants to help you give your students practice in mastering this life skill.
Parent Reading This reading focuses on the nature of decision making, or the "economic way of thinking" and offers different strategies to teach children to be wise decision-makers.
Lessons to use to teach decision-making
Money Lets Me Choose - Help Penny make a wise decision!
Sammy's Choice - Sammy has a tough decision--go to the amusement park or his cousin's birthday party!
More lessons from our Online Lessons section