How I taught meaning of tax to my sons

By Madhurie Singh, August 20, 2016

Life is full of fun and learning. When I get an opportunity, my sons get to learn something out of their syllabus. Speaking of which, don’t you think, they can be introduced about tax system and its need the moment they start learning percentages and fractions!

A lot of people think, why children should be burdened with information at a small age, but I believe, small dose of big information given from early on can help them to start thinking about it. Who knows, one day they will find a radically new solution or formula!

Today as I was tapping on my laptop reprimanding someone on FaceBook, I heard my son open the cupboard and pick out a packet of nachos. He was trying to slip away quickly, know that I would not allow him to eat just before lunch time.

Well, I called him and he had to appear with the sheepish look on his face and tasty chips in his hand.

I told him, he needs to give me a handful of the chips, only then he can eat the rest.

So he gave 3 pieces! I kept on gesturing him to give more. After a point he became angry and said, if your take more than half from me, I will not give you anything!

That’s when I felt like I was unfair and acting like the taxmen!

I told him, “This is tax that you have pay. When you want privileges like eating chips before lunch time, you need to pay more. If you were eating around snack time, then I would not have asked you.”

He asked my why do I need to take chips from him, when I do not eat them.

I told him that I may not eat them, but, I can get your younger brother or you to do some work by giving him these chips! 😉

So, just like me, Govt needs money to do work for the public.

Gov is not one person. It’s collection of the entire nation. When we want the roads to be constructed and maintained, our police officers to have guns, our military force to have best equipment to protect us, we have to pay our taxes to the Gov. The Gov then divides the total amount collected and gives the money to each department to build or use as per the need of the public.

So if people do not give tax, our country will not be able to develop.

As a bonus of you giving me so many pieces of chips, I am going to allow you to drink juice. 😉

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