That is one spelling of the interjection "ah" (realization, specification, or hesitance). Other similar uses are ahh, aah, aha, eh, er, and uh.

Examples:

"Ah, so that was the secret!" (aha)

"Ah, that is just the problem." (in reply, noting a point)

"We will meet again on, ah, Thursday." (er, uh, also the ellipsis ...ah...)

*Note : Aha is always realization, aah is a relaxed sigh, and ahh expresses dismay, similar to agh.

By Sandy Fitzgerald

If you're like most parents, you're busy this month buying lots of toys, games and other presents for your kids.

And while all children need fun in their lives, have you ever thought about using Christmas to help them learn how to handle the future as well?

The thing is, all those toys and games are fun for a little while, but eventually they'll either break or your child will grow out of them.

The one thing a child will never grow out of is the value of knowing how to save their money. Here's some fun ideas to teach him or her a little bit about the world of finance:

1. Open a savings account in your child's name and put a nominal amount in it. Put the savings deposit book in a box, wrap it up and give it to your child as one of the presents under the tree. Admittedly, it won't be as appreciated or oohed and ahhed over as much as that latest Wii game or iTouch, but it will be much appreciated in the future.

Now that you child has that savings account, it's time to help him or her fill that account. Start with those cash presents that relatives give. Does your child really need to keep that money and go spend it on even more presents they'll outgrow? Of course not.

There's no time like the present for teaching your child to pay himself first. Split that present money up, and require that some of it go into that brand new savings account, at least half or two thirds of it. Let your child keep some spending money out and make his or her own choices of how to spend it...even if it's something that you might think is silly.

And once Christmas is over, consider giving your child an allowance, with the same stipulations. He or she must save at least half into that savings account.

There will probably be some grumbling at first, but there's also a great deal of satisfaction for watching that savings account grow – and there will even be more satisfaction when it comes time to buy that first car, or help pay for that first year of college – and that money has been there all along, gathering interest.

1. 1. 1. Consider a share of stock in a company your child loves. Does your child love playing video games? Try a share of Nintendo stock. Or eating at McDonald's? Try a share from there. Frame it, hang it on the wall in that child's room, and every once in a while, look up on line how much that stock is worth. And enjoy your child's bragging that he, too, has ownership in his favorite company!

      2. Does your child realize how much change adds up? He or she will if one of the presents under the tree is a coin sorter and a couple of bucks in pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters to get them started. Get them something to save their spare pennies in, and once or twice a month, sort them with that change sorter. Use the same rule as with an allowance. The child gets to keep half, and the other half goes into their savings account. Never again will you hear the words “oh, it's only a penny!” when your child realizes that 100 of those adds up to a dollar.

Overall, the fun presents are one thing – but the gift of responsible spending and saving lasts a lifetime!