Presence Going Through Economic Depression Together with Your Children -- Conversation with My Son Agnes Ip
President and Founder of Presence Ministry, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California With the ìon-going stock market melt downî, the increase in unemployment and inflation, a lot of family are facing increased financial burden. Children cannot avoid feeling the anxiousness that is around. How can parents guide their children in handling this economic down time? Nurturing children with the proper sense for money, the attitude that the parents have on money is more important than just teaching them regularly how to manage their spending and saving. How parents can set a good example in the handling of money is even more crucial during this depressed economy.
Facing the fear and anxiety together During the past year and a half, our friend have been laid off twice, his family has to face a major financial change. The first time he was laid off, he had to sell off their house. The second time he was laid off, just happened that his work permit in U.S. was about to expire, he had to move his family of four back to Canada. His wife, who had not worked for over 10 years, has to return to the work force. His two young children have to adjust to a new living environment and a new school. The whole family has to go through the loss and anxiety that was brought by the depressed economy. Our two families have been very closed and the children are good friends. When his family moved, my son was feeling particularly sad. He worried for his friendís livelihood, and he felt sorry that God did not open a door for them in USA. Eventhough our family is not wealthy, we never have let our son worried. Seeing what his friendís family had gone through, he has developed an unspoken sense of weariness. He has always known the heavy financial
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Ministry
Newsletter November 2008
和孩子一同面對經濟蕭條 — 我與兒子的一段對話 葉顏瑋茵 活現事工創辦人兼總幹事，美國加州執業婚姻家庭治療師
金融風暴如浪襲捲，一波未平一波又起。失業率提高， 物價持續上漲，使得許多家庭的經濟壓力越來越沈重，孩 子也無可避免地感受到這種緊張的氣氛。在經濟蕭條的時 候，父母親要如何教導孩子來面對這個環境呢？培育孩子 金錢觀，除了平時教他們如何花錢及儲蓄之外，家長本身 對金錢的態度更為重要。在經濟不景時，更是父母親身教 的重要時機。
一同面對徬徨和懼怕 過去的一年半，我們的朋友兩度被栽員，家庭經濟發生 重大的變化。第一次當他失去エ作時，他們賣掉了房子。 第二次失去工作時，因為在美工作簽証即將到期，一家四 口搬回加拿大生活。妻子十幾來都沒有出外謀職，現在她 被迫重回職場。兩名少年子女要適應新的環境和學校。全 家人經歷著經濟不景氣所帶來的失落和徬徨。 我們兩家來往頻繁，孩子們也十分要好。當這個家庭遷 走後，我的兒子特別的難過。他為朋友的生活憂心，也遺 憾神沒有為他們在美國開路。雖然我們的家庭也不富裕， 但以前從來沒有讓我的兒子感到担心。現在他親眼看到朋 友家的遭遇，便產生了一種講不出來的憂慮。他一直知道 父母親的經濟負擔很重， 再加上最近爸爸的工作受 到經濟蕭條的影響，收入 明顯減少。剛進高中的 他，就開始擔心家裏的生 活費用，及將來他和姊姊 的大學學費。
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