LOCAL NEWS
OUT IN FORCE The Sunshine Coast Police Officer of the Year Awards recognise the valuable work of the region’s outstanding officers. WORDS: Roxanne McCarty-O’Kane.
Your money questions answered
with Michael Rowland
How do I teach my kids the value of money? (K&S 4575) In an increasingly digital world, the value of money can be a difficult concept for children to grasp. Here are some tips for helping your kids - or your grandkids - become wealthy and wise. When you were young, do you remember standing next to mum or dad at the corner shop and watching them count out notes and coins to pay for the bread and milk? This was a valuable lesson about the purpose and value of money. Fast forward to today – few corner shops exist and the days of counting change are over. When our children see us pay for something at the shopping centre, it’s likely to be with a piece of plastic – or even by mobile phone. That’s why it’s now more crucial than ever to consciously teach your children and grandchildren about money: how to spend it and how to save it. Here are five ways to do it. 1. Help them budget and save Many children believe parents have an endless supply of money – which is why it’s so important to talk to kids about money from an early age. You can start by discussing your own household budget and explaining how you manage costs like weekly grocery shopping and phone bills. If there’s something your child wants, like a new soccer ball or item of clothing, work out a budget so they can save up and buy it. Then reward them by taking them shopping. 2. Give them pocket money Pocket money is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to teach children the value of cash – which is why it should be earned rather than given freely. Whether it’s payment for completing chores or a reward for behaving
well, children will understand very quickly that money has value. You can also separate their pocket money into portions for spending and saving, so they’ll learn how to put money aside for the future. 3. Set up a bank account By setting up a bank account for your child, you can teach them the basics of everyday banking. It’s worth discussing the statements with them when they arrive – not only so you can explain what each part means, but also so you can check their progress towards their savings goals and praise them as they reach each milestone. You might even open a separate savings account to help making saving fun and easy. 4. Make money fun Learning about money doesn’t have to be another chore: there are plenty of games you can use to teach kids financial literacy. From a young age, you can play-act spending situations with your kids, like pretending to ‘shop’ with their toys or using food items in the kitchen. As your children get older, these games can become more advanced. In fact, one of the best ways may be through playing Monopoly – which you can use to teach more complex concepts like rent and taxes. 5. Surf the net The internet is a treasure trove of information on all things financial. Here’s some of our favourites: • MoneySmart • Kidspot • Bankaroo 8S I\TPSVI EPP XLI ½ RERGMEP WXVEXIKMIW EZEMPEFPI WTIEO [MXL ]SYV ½ RERGMEP EHZMWIV
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Acting Inspector Steve Hall, Acting Superintendent Michael Miley, Sunshine Council councillor Greg Rogerson, Noosa mayor Tony Wellington and Federal Member for Fairfax Ted O’Brien
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he first Sunshine Coast Police Officer of the Year will be named next week. Sunshine Coast residents had the opportunity to nominate an officer to recognise outstanding acts of courage, compassion, understanding or devotion to duty and a selection panel will choose six finalists before the inaugural awards night on May 9 at the Maroochy River Golf Club. The awards are being hosted by the region’s newest Rotary club, Sunshine Coast Central, which was chartered on June 24 last year. The club’s development manager Carolyn Krueger attended similar awards for many years at Pine Rivers and was so impressed she moved to recognise Sunshine Coast police officers. “This is something that Rotary clubs throughout the whole of Australia are doing to recognise our hard-working men and women in blue,” Ms Krueger says. Senior Sergeant officer in charge of the Crime Prevention Unit Sunshine Coast District Brad Grant says he was pleasantly surprised when he first heard about the inception of the awards. “We have an internal process for [awards] but it’s not often the community gets an opportunity to nominate
a police officer for recognition. It’s a good initiative,” he says. “This is another opportunity for community engagement with the police service and highlights the importance of policing and how officers are getting involved in their community.” Nominations closed on April 13 and are now being vetted by the Queensland Police Service (QPS) before they are considered by the selection panel, which will consist of selected members of the Rotary Club of Sunshine Coast Central, plus two representatives from QPS Sunshine Coast. Police Commissioner Ian Stewart will award the winner a perpetual trophy, which will be displayed at the QPS Sunshine Coast headquarters and the outright winner will nominate a charity of their choice, which the Rotary Club of Sunshine Coast Central will donate to in the winner’s name.
The Sunshine Coast Police Officer of the Year Awards, proudly supported by My Weekly Preview, is on May 9 from 6pm at the Maroochy River Golf Club. Tickets are $65 and are available by contacting Carolyn Krueger on poysc@rotary9600.org.
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30/04/2018 11:51:11 AM