Let’s just say that my kid will be playing traditional paper-based monopoly. I don’t care if the prices are raised to be more realistic, but I want them to learn about money and how to count it.

That commercial is incredible. Reminds me of the talking Malibu Stacy doll from The Simpsons. “I wish they taught shopping at school!” and “Let’s buy make up so the boys will like us!”. Good times.

I hate that one too, for two reasons: What on earth is wrong with using cash to buy lunch? Why is a card better? And two, it furthers this culture of high-speed everything. Now you can’t do anything “slow” or you’ll annoy people.

I wish I’d had a camera with me.

…

I think I had a weird childhood. But I am good at poker, so maybe it all worked out.

I think I’ll have to go pick up one of the old Monopoly versions before they run out. Maybe I’ll pick up two… Might be worth some money in ten years or so!

It features a doctor talking on the phone explaining a surgery. It then cuts to a guy at home, holding a scalpel and looking unsure of himself. The announcer then says the tagline (punchline?)” “You wouldn’t try this yourself, why would you try to invest yourself?”

The fact that they try to scare people into thinking that investing is as dangerous as open heart surgery ticks me off greatly.

I also had no clue about the new monopoly game. That is so sad. I’m pretty sure that I part of my money understanding came from playing monopoly when I was little. I would play with my grandfather, who would never let me win. Would always tell me that I needed to learn how to manage my money better, and that I couldn’t always win. (Let me point out that I was only 7 or 8!!)

One good lesson kids might learn from it–debit cards only have a certain amount of money on them. They’re not magic. When you run out of money you can’t use them so you have to be careful about what you buy.

But the whole increasing and decreasing piles of money, that so much more meaningful.

Pity, she’d go well with this. “Math is hard, I don’t like to count, so I just use my magic card. Wheeee!”

Followed by debtor’s prison Barbie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVdfeSxJ2nM

Along with Pixel Chicks and Bratz, I think Barbie just moved on to my blacklist.

So far it is working. I am hopeful that 18 years of this will help them when they have to manage their own financial lives.

I’m totally on board with the “Ads I hate” list. I have a 10 month old daughter and part of me trembles in fear at having to explain this stuff to her. Her Mother and I have dug out of massive credit holes ourselves and fixed up some other recent money problems, so I know we can pass it on. I am still scared of the Little Girl Marketing machine that she will meet in the next 3 years.

Thanks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvZRcJHRtOE

My favorite line is still: “You never run out of money!”