The response to Part 2 was truly encouraging, with many of you expressing interest in how the story would unfold further. It’s always heartening to know that these everyday experiences resonate with so many. With that in mind, I’m happy to share Part 3, continuing the journey and adding a few more reflections along the way.
Title: “Climbing Higher on the Money Ladder –
Class 4’s Final Lesson”
The following Friday, Class 4 was more restless than usual.
Word had spread across the school that Miss Anita’s “money magic” lessons were
the most fun classes of the week.
As soon as she walked in, the children cheered, “Money magic,
ma’am!”
Miss Anita laughed. “Alright, alright. But today is
special - it’s our last session for this year. We’ll complete the Class 4 lessons
and leave the rest for Class 5.”
The room fell silent with anticipation.
“Last time, we built the money ladder. Remember the
four steps?”
“Earning, Saving, Investing, Sharing!” the children recited
proudly.
“Very good. Today we’ll add some finishing touches to your
magic kit.”
She drew two jars on the board - one labelled Emergency
and the other Dreams.
“First,” she said, pointing to the Emergency jar, “sometimes
life surprises us. Maybe your cycle tyre bursts, or your pet falls sick. That’s
when an emergency jar helps. It’s like a little umbrella you carry for a rainy
day.”
The children nodded seriously.
“Second is the Dreams jar. This one is for your wishes - a
cricket bat, a bicycle, a holiday with family. Saving for dreams makes reaching
them more exciting.”
Meera raised her hand. “But ma’am, if we save for emergencies,
how will we save for dreams too?”
“That’s the magic of balance,” Miss Anita said kindly. “Even a
small amount in each jar every month grows over time. Remember, slow and steady
wins the race.”
She then picked up a handful of fake coins and scattered them
on the desk.
“Now let’s practice wise choices. Suppose you have only
five coins. Do you put all of them in snacks? Or do you split - two for savings,
one for emergency, two for dreams? What would you do?”
The classroom buzzed with answers. Some children debated, some
negotiated, and some proudly explained their plans.
Miss Anita watched with a smile. “See? You are already
learning to make decisions with money. That’s the real magic.”
Finally, she held up the paper ladders the children had made
earlier. “Today, you’ve climbed higher. You know how to budget, save, tell
needs from wants, invest, share, and plan for emergencies. For Class 4,
that’s enough. You’ve planted your money trees, built your jars, and climbed
your ladders.”
The bell rang, and groans filled the room.
“Don’t worry,” Miss Anita said, gathering her books. “Money
magic isn’t ending. It’s only pausing. When you come to Class 5, we’ll learn
new spells, like borrowing wisely, earning through small ideas, and even giving
back to society.”
The children clapped excitedly. Their money journey for Class
4 had ended, but the promise of Class 5 adventures kept their eyes shining with
curiosity.
Because with money magic, the story was only just beginning.