At a recent meeting with the folks from Affordable Care in Florida, I was sitting with my friend Dr. Terry Brown, and we were talking about kids, cars, cell phones, weddings and all of the expenses associated with our offspring. He mentioned an angle he had put on helping his kids get a cell phone or their first car.  Some time back Terry attended a Jim Rohn Weekend Session and heard Charlie (Tremendous) Jones talk about helping your teen buy a car. Terry recently adapted the plan to his 13-year-old’s desire to have a cell phone. He cut a deal with his son, Chandler, that any of you with kids or grandkids might just be interested in.

Most cell phone contracts require a two year commitment for the free phone. Plans let you provide your teen with good basic coverage and texting for $29-$39 per month. Terry told his son he would help him pay the contract if he would do one book report per month for 24 month. Mom and dad picked the books and promised to never ask him to read anything they had not read themselves. If the book report was not on time, they would lose their phone for  a month and must still do the report for the month they lose their phone to get current. The report would consist of a brief outline of each chapter and how they might apply the lessons from that chapter to their lives - nothing too long or elaborate.

Reaction at first was lukewarm, however, the growth and transformation has been remarkable. All of the older kids have completed their contracts and Chandler is a few months into his. The older kids  still comment about something they learned, read or applied from the books. Sometimes they hear something in school, on radio or TV and say, “Hey, I knew about that…”
Can you imagine the impact this could have on your kids?  I read 40-50 books per year (Amazon-aholic here) but never read anything I didn’t have to (excepting Hardy Boys and Comic Books).  Terry’s mentor for this, Charlie (Tremendous) Jones wished he had offered his grandkids $100 per book report. Five dollars to spend and $95 into a college fund. Imagine the disposable income available for school and the wealth of knowledge to prepare them.

Here is Doc Brown’s book list for Chandler.  I would have traded out a few and so too would you. But it is a stout list to start with. 
Terry, Thanks for sharing.

1. Attitude 101
2. The Richest Man in Babylon
3. How to Win Friends and Influence People
4. The Travelers Gift
5. Twelve Pillars
6. The Magic of Thinking Big
7. The Power of Positive Thinking
8. Think and Grow Rich
9. Rich Kid, Smart Kid
10. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
11. Rich Dad, Poor Dad for Teens
12. Your Best Life Now
13. Developing the Leader Within You
14. The Purpose Driven Life
15. The Automatic Millionaire
16. Awaken the Giant Within
17. Good to Great
18. Failing Forward
19. Increase Your Financial IQ
20. Untapped Potential
21. The Strangest Secret
22. Lessons on Life: How to Live a Successful Life
23. How to Get Anything You Want
24. The Angel Inside
25. The Image
26. 7 Strategies for Wealth and Happiness
27. The Art of Exceptional Living
28. Leading an Inspired Life

About the author:Murphy is the vice president of educational services for Mercer Advisors, director of professional relations for Quantum Dental Resources, and consults and lectures for dental laboratories, manufacturers and dentists throughout the United States and Canada through Funktional Design Group. He can be reached at mtmurphydds@gmail.com or mark.murphy@merceradvisors.com.