Money Smart Kids
Chapter 8: Contracts, Confidence & Knowing Your Worth

Lesson 8.3: What Are You Worth? Talking About Time & Value

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LESSON GOAL

BY THE END OF THIS LESSON,

you’ll understand how to value your time, effort, and skills when doing jobs or starting a business. You’ll learn how to price your work fairly and confidently — without feeling awkward or unsure.

💬 let’s break it down

Ever wonder how people decide how much to charge for something?

Whether it’s mowing a lawn, designing a birthday card, or helping with a project — your time and effort have value.

🕒 Time is valuable because once you use it, you can’t get it back.
💪 Effort is valuable because it takes energy and care.
🧠 Skills are valuable because not everyone can do what you can do!

Knowing your worth means not undercharging just because you’re a kid — and not overcharging without a good reason. It means learning to respect your time and helping others understand why your work is worth it.

And here’s the cool part: the more you practice a skill, the more valuable you become.

🧠 ANALOGY: Knowing Your Worth is Like Pricing Art

Imagine someone paints a picture. One person says, “It’s just paint and paper.”
But another person says, “It’s beautiful, and it took talent, time, and love.”

🎨 Your work is like that art — it’s not just about the materials. It’s about the heart and skill you bring to it.

You deserve to be paid fairly for what you do — even as a kid.

🤔 critical thinking questions

What’s something you’re really good at that not everyone can do?

How much time does it take to do your best work?

Why is it important to feel good about what you charge?

Have you ever felt like your time wasn’t valued? How did that feel?

✍️ journal entry: “My Time is Worth It Because…”

Think of a job you’ve done or could do.
Write down:

  • How long it takes

  • How much energy it uses

  • What you would charge for it

Then complete this sentence:
“My time is worth it because…”

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 ACTIVITY WITH FAMILY OR FRIENDS: The Value Game

What You’ll Need:

  • A list of pretend jobs

  • Play money or points

  • Family members or friends

What to Do:

  1. Take turns being the “worker” and the “employer.”

  2. The worker describes the job: what it is, how long it takes, how hard it is.

  3. The employer offers what they’d pay.

  4. Talk about: Was that price fair? Too high? Too low? Why?

🎯 What This Teaches: Talking about value helps kids understand pricing, time management, and communication — and it builds confidence.

💵 real-life practice: Create Your Personal Pricing Sheet

Choose 2–3 jobs or services you can offer (like pet-sitting, organizing, baking, etc.).
For each one, write down:

  • The name of the job

  • How long it takes

  • What it includes

  • What you would charge

Ask a parent to review it with you and give feedback!

🌟 Bonus: Turn your pricing sheet into a fun flyer or post it on your Family Job Board!

  • Add a short summary or a list of helpful resources here.