So this week, please consider starting an intergenerational conversation about money, perhaps in writing, which might reduce the risk of a knee-jerk response that leads to an argument. I’ve suggested an approach below, for an e-mail message or letter to a parent and a possible reply, though you could easily tweak it if you’re initiating the chat with your child.

Of all the sad Wall Street scenes-Lehman employees shuffling out of their offices in shorts, “reduction in force” victims commiserating over drinks on Stone Street-one of the saddest might be the headquarters of Icon Recognition, a company that makes deal toys, the desktop trophies (sometimes called “deal gifts” or “tombstones”) collected by a lot of finance types to commemorate deals.