Urban Ministries of Durham has put out “Spent” a game that simulates the decisions that the underemployed in America have to make every day.
Playing the simulation with Nate was enlightening. He constantly chose the options like “Take the money out of your kid’s birthday card” and “Miss the kid’s school play because you were offered a side job”. I asked him to really think about how that would make him feel and he said “I’d be mad, but at least I’d have food.” As a mother, I made the opposite desicions, sacrficing the money almost every time it would somehow affect my child.
We were able to talk about what it meant to be “underemployed” and some of the myriad of reasons why someone with a child would have to take a minimum wage job. This was a fantastic way to teach Nate about the sacrifices people have to make everyday.
Did you succeed? Did your kids try it? How were their answers different than yours? Share in the comments!
