Amanda Bauer-Frisch

So really, in the blink of an eye, you know, my life was totally upside down. And I was a pregnant widow with a one-year-old at home and needed to figure out how to put my life back together. From there, I fast forward a couple of years. I was a stay-at-home mom by choice. I had recently remarried, and I started making money. wood banks in my garage.

So really, in the blink of an eye, you know, my life was totally upside down. And I was a pregnant widow with a one-year-old at home and needed to figure out how to put my life back together. From there, I fast forward a couple of years. I was a stay-at-home mom by choice. I had recently remarried, and I started making money. wood banks in my garage.

I made these wood piggy banks that have three compartments that say give, save, spend. My late husband was very passionate about financial literacy. He was a sheriff's deputy and really had that passion to serve the community. But his other calling was financial literacy.

I made these wood piggy banks that have three compartments that say give, save, spend. My late husband was very passionate about financial literacy. He was a sheriff's deputy and really had that passion to serve the community. But his other calling was financial literacy.

So I kind of had this feeling inside, like if I'm going to teach my kids anything from their dad, I have to teach them this basic thing. So I made these wood banks and I engraved the kids' names on top. And my new husband encouraged me to list them on Etsy. And when I did that, they just took off and I couldn't make enough of them. In the beginning, did all the woodworking myself in my garage.

So I kind of had this feeling inside, like if I'm going to teach my kids anything from their dad, I have to teach them this basic thing. So I made these wood banks and I engraved the kids' names on top. And my new husband encouraged me to list them on Etsy. And when I did that, they just took off and I couldn't make enough of them. In the beginning, did all the woodworking myself in my garage.

And I will say I am not a woodworker. I just needed something to do, a craft, a project to do. And also at the time when I started this, it was the beginning of the pandemic. And I just needed something to do. Now we have a wood toy manufacturer. who makes the wood banks for us, and we engrave the kids' names on top.

And I will say I am not a woodworker. I just needed something to do, a craft, a project to do. And also at the time when I started this, it was the beginning of the pandemic. And I just needed something to do. Now we have a wood toy manufacturer. who makes the wood banks for us, and we engrave the kids' names on top.

And then we also just published a book called Jeremiah Learns to Earn that teaches kids a really cute story about learning to give, save, and spend.

And then we also just published a book called Jeremiah Learns to Earn that teaches kids a really cute story about learning to give, save, and spend.

Yeah, that's a great question. One we get a lot. I will say, I don't know that there is a right or a wrong answer. It really, each family is unique. And I will say in our family, there are some chores, if you will, that are just expected of our kids because they're a member of the family, brush their teeth and take a shower and that kind of thing.

Yeah, that's a great question. One we get a lot. I will say, I don't know that there is a right or a wrong answer. It really, each family is unique. And I will say in our family, there are some chores, if you will, that are just expected of our kids because they're a member of the family, brush their teeth and take a shower and that kind of thing.

And those are just expectations that we have of them. And then occasionally, they have an opportunity to earn extra money from If they help with a job that we've asked of them. And my kids are still young. So the older two are definitely starting to earn some money. But we're really like on the cusp of their natural interest. Some children are interested in money a lot earlier.

And those are just expectations that we have of them. And then occasionally, they have an opportunity to earn extra money from If they help with a job that we've asked of them. And my kids are still young. So the older two are definitely starting to earn some money. But we're really like on the cusp of their natural interest. Some children are interested in money a lot earlier.

So I would say if your kid is expressing interest, that's a great time to start.

So I would say if your kid is expressing interest, that's a great time to start.

Yeah, I was able to participate in a TEDx event. And the title of my talk was In Defense of Participation Trophies, which I know is a hot button issue for a lot of people. And it's quick to kind of dismiss them as junk or just encouraging this everyone's a winner culture.

Yeah, I was able to participate in a TEDx event. And the title of my talk was In Defense of Participation Trophies, which I know is a hot button issue for a lot of people. And it's quick to kind of dismiss them as junk or just encouraging this everyone's a winner culture.

But I know from personal experience, when I was really in the depths of grief after my husband died, it was very easy to want to just lay in bed all day and not participate in basic things in life or the community or my family. And I think if we kind of reframe our thoughts around what it means to participate, you credits his success to missing over 9,000 baskets during his career.

But I know from personal experience, when I was really in the depths of grief after my husband died, it was very easy to want to just lay in bed all day and not participate in basic things in life or the community or my family. And I think if we kind of reframe our thoughts around what it means to participate, you credits his success to missing over 9,000 baskets during his career.