New Year's money originated from the folk activity of "pressing the gods and worshipping the gods" in ancient China. Before the Chinese New Year, people will prepare New Year's money as a New Year's tribute to their ancestors or gods. Over time, this custom has evolved into the elders giving the younger generations New Year's money during the festival to express their concern and good wishes for the younger generations, which is a unique traditional Chinese culture. In traditional Chinese culture, the age of 18 is an important dividing line, representing a person's formal transition from adolescence to adolescence. In ancient times, there was a standard for determining 18 years old as the first age. Reaching this age means that a person has basically matured and should take personal responsibility and achieve financial independence. If a young man over the age of 18 still needs to live on New Year's money, it means that he has some problems in the process of growing up. Continuing to give money to young people over the age of 18 is not conducive to his formation of a mature and independent self-perception, so that he can still maintain dependence. Therefore, in order to cultivate the sense of independence of young people, it is best not to exceed the 18-year-old threshold. When a person reaches adulthood, he should be treated as an independent individual, rather than continuing to be treated as a child in need of spare money. Regarding New Year's money, some unique customs have been formed in different parts of China. For example, in Guangdong, the amount of New Year's money is distributed according to the age of the child. Children under the age of 6 basically do not give New Year's money, and they do not yet understand the concept of money. Children in primary school will give 50-100 yuan to meet the needs of school supplies. Middle school students will give 200-500 yuan, and they have a greater demand for consumption. Children who are about to take the college entrance examination will be given more than 500-1000 yuan. In some other regions, the New Year's money is rebated on a per capita basis. Regardless of the age of the children in each family, the amount of the New Year's money rebate must be equal. Such customs put a lot of pressure on some families with poor economic conditions. They are forced to give back money based on the total number of children in other families. This is also easy to lead to the psychology of comparison, which is contrary to the original intention of pressing the New Year's money. The formation of customs in these different regions has its own unique cultural factors. However, with the development of society, these customs also need to be appropriately adjusted to meet the needs of the times and convey positive and healthy values. Although the New Year's money originates from good wishes and love, if left unguided, it can also have some negative effects. The first is the psychology of quantity comparison. In some areas that attach importance to the form, the amount of New Year's money has become the standard for people to compare, and children judge the level of the New Year's money by the amount of money, forming an unnecessary comparison mentality, which violates the original intention of the New Year's money. Another problem is that children have no financial management ability and self-control due to the sudden receipt of a large amount of New Year's money, and are prone to blind consumption and waste. Finally, the long-term overage payment of New Year's money may also delay the cultivation of children's sense of independence and produce a dependency mentality. These drawbacks remind us that while carrying forward the tradition, we also need to guide the New Year's money to rationalization and standardization, and play its due positive role. 
In the face of the possible negative impact of New Year's money, how should parents guide their children to make reasonable use of New Year's money? First of all, you can teach your children to allocate and use the New Year's money, save part of it for savings, and set aside part of it for expenses. By saving money, children can develop financial planning and the ability to delay gratification, and at the same time, let children experience the joy of using their own money. Secondly, parents can accompany their children to make a plan to use it, and calculate how much of the money should be saved for future needs or greater wishes. Teach your child to keep track of his or her income and expenses, and to prioritize what he or she needs and what he or she doesn't need. This can gradually develop their ability to manage their money on their own. In addition, parents should warn their children not to compare themselves with others how much money they have received, and to make them understand that the true meaning of gifts lies in the intention of giving, not the size of the amount. Through the examples around you, guide your child to look at money positively and reasonably. Finally, as a parent, you should set an example, use family property reasonably, and don't be extravagant, because practical actions can most affect the shaping of children's values. 
Take the New Year's money as an opportunity to educate your children to be independent and financially planned, and properly guide your children in the process of controlling their New Year's money, so that they can learn many necessary life skills. This is the best educational meaning of New Year's money. In today's society, we should not overemphasize the amount of New Year's money, but let children understand the spiritual connotation of New Year's money. The origin of the New Year's money is a blessing, which represents the good wishes and encouragement of the elders for the growth of the younger generations. The ceremony of handing over the New Year's money contains a cultural symbol that enhances family affection. Therefore, we should not use the simple monetary standard to measure the value of each New Year's money, but fully feel the strong emotions it conveys. 
At the same time, if only the amount of New Year's money is used to determine feelings, it will also cause misguidance to children's values. Let the child have the wrong idea of judging everything by money. What children need to learn is to be grateful for the nurturing grace of their elders, and to repay with their hearts rather than using money as the only measure. No matter how much money is paid, as elders, we should teach our children to respect the elders, care for each other, and inherit the traditional Chinese virtues through personal practice and words and deeds in life. The cultivation of these positive values is the core meaning of New Year's money. Therefore, we should not care about or compare the specific figures of the New Year's money, but fully feel the unique emotional and humanistic connotation contained in it. The intrinsic meaning of a one-dollar New Year's Bill, which contains blessings and encouragement, may be much higher than that of a hundred dollars. We should use this as a way to educate our children about the standard by which everything is judged. On the whole, the most suitable age for New Year's money is before the age of 18. This is not only in line with the traditional standard of age in Chinese culture, but also more conducive to the cultivation of children's independent qualities. 
On the one hand, the age of 18 is a watershed moment when young people who have reached this age have basically matured and should gradually transition to an independent stage of life. Continuing to give New Year's money may delay this necessary process of maturation. On the other hand, giving New Year's money before the age of 18 in advance allows the elders to give encouragement and praise to the child's growth in a timely manner. Giving the right amount of New Year's money at this critical stage of growth can become a very precious memory for the new expectations of the elders for the child's life. It represents an expectation that the child will become a positive and responsible person in the future. Therefore, we should not overemphasize the specific amount of New Year's money, but let children understand the deep meaning contained in it. The point is not the amount of money, but the intention and encouragement of the elders. 
No matter how small the New Year's money is, if it conveys blessings and expectations, it will become the most precious gift. Of course, there are some special cases that can be handled flexibly. For example, students who go to university can be considered to be "extended dependency", or in some regions there is a custom of giving New Year's money according to their unmarried. But for most children, before the age of 18 is the most suitable time to spend money. Giving timely and reasonable New Year's money, combined with other positive education methods, will help children grow into a diligent and pragmatic and responsible person. This should be the goal that every parent looks forward to in the process of raising their children. February** Dynamic Incentive Program