I am a proud ScholarShare 529 Ambassador. This is a sponsored post.

The last thing my children need is more stuff. Between the two of them our house is filled from the bedrooms to the garage with toys, games, and everything else that a kid needs to be entertained. Both of their birthdays are coming up in the next couple of months, and I just have one request—no more stuff!

I hate to be the wet blanket or killjoy in our family, but how many art kits can an 8-year-old open and leave incomplete in her lifetime?

Answer? A million.

Seriously. At least one million.

I understand the appeal of buying a bunch of adorable stuff for kids, I do. The people who love my son and daughter just want to see them happy. There are very few things that I’ve found to be sweeter than the look on a child’s face when they rip open a gift and see something fun inside.

Basically, adults give children stuff because it makes us feel good.

I’ve never asked people not to give presents. I hinted at it in the past, taking care to be as gentle as possible. It’s uncomfortable as heck, too, y’all! I never want to seem ungrateful, or even entitled. I know that someone giving my kids a gift of any kind is a blessing. It didn’t matter what I said anyway, though. No one ever listened.

With two children now, things are different. I’m a lot more brave and willing to be overt in our request:

Help us send our children to college.

How to ask for money for your child’s education

After our children graduate high school, we are insisting that they attend some form of higher education. I know that traditional college may not be for everyone, but in our family, we believe learning is. There are so many different types of schools to choose from that there’s really no excuse.

Higher education is the place where kids become young adults and discover how to make critical decisions for themselves for the first time. Kids need that time.

Since most teenagers don’t have the money to pay for college themselves, and because I don’t want them to start their life off in debt, figuring out how to pay for college now is the key.

ScholarShare 529 is a solution.ScholarShare 529 is a college savings plan that allows you to save for your child’s higher education. Parents can fund the account, obviously, but friends and family can also contribute.

It can feel weird to ask for help paying for your child’s college, but it doesn’t have to be. I had to remember that when people ask me what they should get my children for their birthday or holidays, it’s because they love them. If they ask them, I need to tell them. It’s actually not that hard.

Ask people to contribute directly

Them: What should I get Ayva for her birthday?

Me: Thank you for asking! We would love for you to contribute to her ScholarShare 529 account to help pay for her college. I can send you an eGift link!

Ask people to give cash and make the deposit yourself

Them: What should I get James for his birthday?

Me: Thank you for asking! We’re asking our friends and loved ones to contribute money towards his ScholarShare 529 account to help pay for his college. We will collect all of the money gifts that he receives and deposit them into his account. Every little bit counts. Even a $5 gift will add to the total deposit, and be worth way more when it’s time for him to go to school!

See how easy that is?

ScholarShare 529 makes it easy to receive support.

Talking about money can feel weird. Asking for money is even weirder. We’re in a time in our society where we have to get over our issues with this. College expenses are going up. Why shouldn’t we let people help us when they want to? A $25 ScholarShare 529 contribution will go a lot farther and be way more meaningful than a bunch of toys that will be broken in a few months.

Be clear about what you need. Be honest. Let your loved ones support your little ones with a gift that will last well past their birthday.

Learn more about ScholarShare 529 on their website. Follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Have you started saving for your children’s education?