My sixth grader went on a field trip two weeks ago and loaned some money to a classmate after I told him not to loan any to anyone the night before and the day of the field trip. My child asks this other child for the money every day and every day it's a different excuse. We told my child the worse way to end a friendship is loan money. My problem is - do I let my child handle this on his own or contact the parents? Lesson learned on my childs part huh?
You let your child handle it on his own and explain that this is the reason you don't "loan" money. Let him know that when a "friend" needs money, unless your son can afford to GIVE it to his friend, as a GIFT and not expect to see it back, then they should keep in in their pocket/wallet. Explain also that grown ups go through this too and that age doesn't make everyone responsible with money. In the sixth grade a child doesn't need his mom contacting another kids parents...it's not like it was his college tuition paid in full. Consider it a lesson he learned young in life.
By the way...he might really learn his lesson well if you do whatever you do when you take away a privledge/allowence/whatever. You stated you told him the night before NOT to loan money, and he so quickly disobeyed you...missing out on his money should not be his only punishment...then he won't be so likely to ignore what you say, as well as lend out his money. And don't go all soft and say he is already out his money, at the age of 11 or whatever a 6th grader is...it is likely it was YOUR money first.
