Parents sometimes do not realize how important the effective communication is between them and their kids. They are often too busy to teach their own kids about money and kids do not get to learn anything from their parents.
According to recent survey, half of children population in the US has never had any conversation with their parents about managing money. This is an alarming situation as children are not being educated on simple money habits such as budgeting.
Kids are to be educated on how to manage their money effectively. Early money education is vital to get the healthy money habits across to kids. Kids can then carry on their healthy money habits to their adult lives. Have close and personal discussions with your children about their money and how they are managing it.
Sometimes though, dinner table conversations are as effective as classroom learning. In an informal setting like dinner, parents and children can chat about almost everything while being relaxed and discuss the day’s events. So why not take on this golden opportunity to talk to your kids about money. Don’t bore them by talking about the history of the stock markets, but talk about something like how a kid’s idea has become an international company.
Encourage kids to talk to you about any money concerns they may have. Setting a set time to talk about money issues will keep everyone a little more serious about it. For younger children, parents can talk to them about the differences between cash, credit cards and loans – the basics. For teenagers, the discussion should be on more complex topics such as economics, inflation, exchange rates, jobs, mutual funds, stocks, bonds, term deposits or anything that is of particular interest to them.
It is believed that five fundamentals of financial fitness if learned before turning 30, can lead to a financially sound lifetime. They are: saving 10 percent of earnings, taking advantage of retirement plan through your job, working towards owning a house, having enough liquidity to deal with an emergency and importantly avoiding debt. Early education on budgeting and saving habits can make a difference and communication between the parents and children is important to foster these fundamentals.
Parents should note that every child is different. Just because your neighbor’s kids love calculators, do not expect your kids for the same. As parents, it is assumed that they know their kids best. Parents should recognize the children’s personality, strengths & weakness and personal traits and best means of communication with them when it comes to money. Do not give them pressure by saying what other kids are doing well. Some kids may like counting money on calculator. Some kids may like more visuals. Some kids may prefer do it on computer. Maybe kids may not like numbers at all. It is important to recognize kids’ personalities and try to educate them in the most effective way about money.
Start developing your child’s financial skills. Save The Money For The Children Teaching-Kids-About-Money.com have a lot of great resources. Teaching kids to save money is challenging and enjoyable for your child.