Glory box/hope chest, anyone still doing them?

[Astrid]

No actual glory box, but mum would keep the old things she upgrade. So there was some cutlery, saucepans, mugs etc.

Don't think I would do a specific one for the girls. These days places like Ikea and Kmart have great kitchen starter sets, also they may not be local when they first move out of home. Money would serve them better so they can buy what they need at that time. If I put anything aside for them, it will be like what was done for me, putting aside upgraded items.

I do think the concept of a glory box is outdated. It is from a time when a woman married and would not go out and earn money. So she needed to set herself up before marriage to ensure there was enough linen, towels etc to get through the rest of her life.

[Gigi]

i started paying board at 14, while in Year 9, going to school fulltime and part time jobs. I was told, my board money would be put towards my wedding reception one day. At birthdays and xmas time, my relatives gave me things for my glorybox, like a heavy crystal punch bowl from my nana (prolly a gift she got given and never used, she already had one). Nothing practical, the stuff that is not essential to a home, what i call "the fat", and now i am much older, realise, requires a big family home, the lifestyle to afford being able to entertain people, the room to store it, etc etc. So many years ago, i gave the punchbowl away to people with their own big house, who had enough money to invite people over for a dinner party, where a punchbowl actually got used, and was in proportion with the house.

When i was kicked out of home at 17, people i knew, especially parents of my friends, gave me their old stuff, that they had upgraded (their old vac etc, crockery) and that was much more useful. Opshops were great to help me furnish a small bedsit. It was a big stress at the time, having to come up with all the stuff AT ONCE. Thinking, i had been wasting money on DOLLY and CLEO when i should have been eyeing the catalogues, for when sheets are on sale. Later on, living in sharehouses, i never had to have ALL the stuff, each person would contribute to the household, we just each had to have the bedroom stuff.

I actually think, the best gift my mother could have given me, rather than a box of household useful goods, would have been
- the knowledge of how to cook and prepare basic food,
- the knowledge of how to budget, price compare, look for bargains, about Consumer Affairs
- some self esteem from being loved
those things would have been a good way to start off adult life, you can't buy those things.


i have no idea, if i will be in a position to help my own child out this way, but i would be much more practical about it, that my relatives were for me.

And mum spent all the board i paid (from 14 - 17yrs) on a brand new sewing machine and other sewing sundries, for herself.

[Astrid]

I think these days the money put toward Glory box items would be better used to pay off your own mortgage sooner (if you have one). I feel it is important for DH and I to be set-up well enough when the girls hit 18, that we are able to help them then when they may need help to go to Uni, do an apprenticeship etc. If our home is paid off, then they also have a home.

Gigi has made some fantastic points!

[Traveller]

I agree with a lot of what Gigi says. In my final year of school I was expected to do my own laundry, ironing, cleaning. I was also expected to cook a meal for the family once a week. My parents said they would prefer I struggled with these skills where they could help me, rather than leave home and be unable to fend for myself. So as well as having a starter kit for my kids for when they leave home or go to uni, I intend to follow my parents example and ensure they can cook and use a washing machine/dryer.

[Aligater]

My sister had 1 and my cousin I think by the time it was my turn so much had happened I was forgotten. I would have loved one though. I think I will do them for my girls

[emc2]

I opened a Savings account as soon as I got Jim's birth certificate.

It really depends on where life's at when he grows up..if there's still lots of cars around, I think I'd like to be able to pay for driving lessons for him.

He'll probably be pretty independent though, given that I'm single, even if I eventually get paired off (or not) I will help him to be able to do things on his own.

[Lisa]

I never thought I would want to charge my children board, but the reality is that they need to learn to pay for their accommodation just like we all do. Because my DS has just left school he now does chores to earn his 'keep' but when he is in full time employment, we will be charging him board.