Helping Kids Grow to Become Money Smart
As parents, we understand the importance of literacy. We sit for hours reading with our children. However, children must be “literate” about money matters, too.
Learning how to think about money and manage it wisely is an equally important life skill. We must patiently help our kids “sound out” the many ways to control money. Our kids will learn by doing. Some lessons will be thrilling. Others will be frustrating, even painful.
In the end, we hope that our children will grow into financially responsible adults. The rewards are life-altering: living within their means, free from the anxieties of debt, and secure in their future.
TheMint.org is a web site sponsored by the Northwestern Mutual Foundation to provide tools to help parents as well as educators teach children to manage money wisely and develop good financial habits: the building blocks for a secure future. Given the current rate of savings and debt in America, this is a lesson that desperately needs to be learned.
Sections on this site have been designed for families. Most pages are written in a kid-friendly style so families can work together – or older children can work independently in learning money lessons. However, some sections have been developed exclusively for teachers and parents.
- Ideas for Teachers contains activities to illustrate sound money-management concepts.
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Tips for Parents provides tips for mentoring and nurturing children, to help them grow in financial responsibility. Some of these tips lay very simple groundwork and can be used before children start grade school.
TheMint.org is a guide to learn about all the things people do with money: earning, saving, spending, investing, donating, safeguarding, and borrowing.
Visit TheMint.org for more great ideas to help you help your children become money smart.
Other resources:
Reprinted with the permission of Northwestern Mutual. © 2007 Northwestern Mutual.
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