In a move that's sure to help parents of indecisive children, Toys R Us has just released its five toy trends for the holidays. The list is culled from data which Toys R Us collects from its stores throughout the world in order to determine what toys kids will want this holiday season.

Toys R Us doesn't just look at sales figures to determine these trends, the list also includes influences from the adult world. Bob Giampietro, the Senior Vice President of Trend and Innovation for Toys R Us, provided the following commentary on how some of the categories and toys made the list: "Children continually emulate and adapt based on what they see and hear in real life, and this is reflected in the trends we've recognized this year.".

The Toys R Us Toy Trends for Holiday 2008 include:

• $avvy Savers
• Adorable Animatronics
• Curious Kids
• Earth-Friendly Fun
• Music: My Way

While all of the categories should prove helpful to gift givers this season, the $avvy Savers category caught my eye, especially after Bob Giampietro linked the trends to current events. The $avvy Savers category focuses on toys that help kids save their allowance as well as budget for a big ticket item that they didn't get to unwrap on Christmas morning. I know I would have loved to get one of the items, a laser protected safe, back when I was saving up for a Super Nintendo!

Keep reading for 3 toys that aren't only fun but can educate your children about money. And also see the best discounts in the toy book catalog.

When Jenna, my 13-year-old second cousin by marriage, had her bat mitzvah, her Jewish coming-of-age ceremony, earlier this month, she asked that friends and relatives donate to two charities rather than bring gifts.

Jenna chose Project A.L.S. because her paternal grandfather recently died from the fatal neuromuscular disorder, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. She also selected Million Trees NYC because, as a devoted environmentalist, she wanted to improve the city of her birth. It turns out that Jenna is not alone among her age group in putting charity before that cool iPod or Wii.

According to Claire Gaudiani of the Heyman Center for Philanthropy and Fundraising at New York University, today's young people contribute whatever they can to their favorite causes earlier, more consistently and in more imaginative ways than their grandparents did. And of the $300 billion-plus donated last year, more and more is going to charities that focus on international affairs and the environment, according to Giving USA.

I hope this trend continues even as the economy skids into a recession and fears about our families' futures overtake everything else. An international outlook, an awareness of other cultures and societies, is not only healthy but necessary in today's global economy. I certainly plan to encourage my daughter to follow Jenna's example when the time comes for her bat mitzvah. Meanwhile, our family will continue to donate money to our college alma maters, to Housing Works, and Goodwill.

Mortgage backed derivatives. Credit default swaps. LIBOR. Leverage. The credit crisis now unfolding in sickening shades of desperation is complex, and difficult for even adults to understand (politicians in particular, apparently). But what do kids think? I asked my 11-year-old daughter Anna what she thought of the current situation.

Do you understand what's going on in the financial markets today?
No, but it sounds really scary. Ms. Harper, my teacher, says the banks crashed or something. And the prices of houses got too high and now nobody's buying anything.

Does it worry you?
Mom says we're going to be hurt down the road, so I'm kind of scared.

Why?
I'm scared what the effect is. I'm scared Mom might lose her job. And I'm scared because America is getting really bad. It's in debt and we're in a war. It's like the world is getting really bad.

What's the worst that could happen to you?
We wouldn't really have enough money for stuff. Food, stuff, clothes, and we'd have to get all our money from Daddy, and then he'd lose his job. And then we'd live on the streets or something. And I'm not just saying that to sound immature.

What do you think they should do about it?
Not spend so much money on this war in Iraq. Spend more money on hospitals and stuff. Maybe lower the prices of houses. And food. Mom's all like, "$4.50 for a bag of chips!?"

Do you think all of this will affect you when you're a grown up?
If it passes, I'll just say to my kids, when I was young, there was like another Great Depression, but then we got over it. But it colleges are too expensive then I'll have to go to a cheaper college or do something else. I'd learn a trade.

It costs a lot to raise children. That's the common wisdom.

But it really doesn't have to. Of course, you can do it the American way, and surround them with stuff for their edification and safety. Or you can do it another way. Which means spending time with them and eschewing the bells and whistles our culture says will make us happy.

I dunno. There's a lot I didn't do, and my kids have still turned out OK. So far.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt may score millions for their twins but there are tons of opportunities for non-celebrity new parents to earn rewards. While little Junior (or June) might not generate $14 million, there are numerous freebies offered by large conglomerates that don't include selling the 8lb 7oz tyke. That's right --you can keep 'em. Whether your sleep-deprived brain can focus long enough to find these deals is another matter. That's where we come in. Here are a few of the great freebie finds we've found for you and your newest addition:

Enfamil Family Beginnings program offers free gifts for expectant parents. If you register for free at enfamil.com, or at many doctors offices across the country, new parents will receive a diaper bag with samples, a feeding kit, and a free portrait offer from JCPenney. Parents can also receive up to $60 in formula rebate checks.

Not to be outdone, in May rival formula-maker Similac relaunched its Welcome Addition Club as Strong Moms to connect mothers online. In addition to advice, the Web site provides month-by-month guides on pregnancy and baby development, as well as many free samples of its product.

The Olsen Twins were once the world's nations wealthiest kids but it seems that title has been handed over to none other than Miley Cyrus. PEOPLE magazine has reported that Disney's singing and acting sensation and her Hannah Montana brand are slated to bring in $1 billion by the end of the year. (Not bad for 15-years-old) And, while not a billion, other child stars, like the Jonas Brothers, Dakota Fanning, and Abigail Breslin are bringing in multi-millions each year.

This made me wonder what average kids are doing with their money and how much they get in the first place. I headed out on the streets of New York City to find out and it seems that New York's youth are spending the majority of money they receive on their sweet tooth cravings. Many said that they spend their allowances on candy, and sometimes toys and clothes.

These kids, who generally earn their dough by doing chores around the house, bring in a range of dollar amounts: anywhere between $7 and $40 a week. While Miley Cyrus says that she would like to purchase a vintage Corvette with all her cash and the Jonas brothers bought new computers with theirs, the kids on the street said that if they had that kind of money they would consider doing something else with it.

Kids may well count the days until summer vacation, but their parents are dreading it.

That's because when school's out, camps are in. And we've got to find a way to pay for it somehow.

Time was, summer meant three months of running free, finding ways to kill hot summer afternoons at the community pool or with friends or in your backyard campsite. Those days are over.

Imagine this: Your 15-year-old goes to apply for his first after-school job...and finds out he has a number of black marks for credit fraud marring his record. And you were worried about his report card?

According to some sources, 500,000 children are victims of identity theft every year. Minors comprise the fastest-growing segment of identity theft victims.

Great. Just one more thing for a parent to fret over.

This from Hillary Russ in the Cape Cod Times: "A local schoolgirl took prank calling to a new low yesterday when she dialed 911 with disturbing fake calls more than a dozen times." While riding home on the school bus, she repeatedly told the state police that "someone was going to die."

It must have been a rough day in school.

It turns out that more than 30% of 911 calls in Massachusetts are non-emergencies and about 5% are "threatening, aggravating, abusive or harassing to the police." Laws on "aggravated 911 nonemergency calls" vary from state to state. Fortunately, the parents were upset and apologetic and this happened in the Bay State. The police chief had the sense to conclude that it was "probably more important to re-educate the kids on the importance of not crying wolf" than it was to press charges.

Troy Dunn's 2007 "Young Bucks - How To Raise A Future Millionaire," is about entrepreneurship and it's a must read for parents. Dunn, who has the credentials, has a lot to say about kids and money. He has a formula and he thinks outside the box. He believes that children can "learn to earn young," and he isn't a fan of allowances. He thinks it's better to give children, "the gift of want."

A self-made millionaire, Dunn learned how to think about money early in life at monthly, "business meetings" with his dad, a teacher, over hot chocolate at Denny's.

His ideas about how kids grow up to be financially successful fly in the face of what parents often assume. Rather than setting their sights on "getting into the right college or landing a job at a big corporation," Dunn thinks parents can prepare children for financial success by helping them figure out who they are -- then helping a child capitalize on his or her own interests and enthusiasm with a bit of business acumen.

What's in My Wallet is a series of posts from WalletPop writers and editors that will help you maximize your financial self according to what you carry.

I was never one of those organized sorts who bought memberships to museums and other public places. Even when I found myself returning repeatedly -- the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC comes to mind -- the price tags on those membership cards always seemed too steep at first glance.

But then I had kids. And those kids started walking and running. And they needed to be entertained, often in wide-open spaces. The cost of memberships to large, public institutions began to make sense.

Now that my kids are in grade school, I have a number of memberships to places that serve two purposes: They are educational; and they're great places to run (read: exhaust) a couple of over-active kids.