In this episode of Good Inside with Dr. Becky, Dr. Kennedy and personal finance expert Alexa von Tobel delve into the importance of teaching kids money management skills from an early age. They explore how to instill healthy money mindsets in children, advising parents to reframe money as an empowering tool, not a source of stress.
Von Tobel and Kennedy also share practical tips for using allowances to teach goal-setting and delayed gratification. Beyond that, they emphasize the value of modeling open financial behaviors, involving kids in money discussions, and providing age-appropriate explanations of costs and spending. Their guidance aims to help parents embed financial consciousness in their children's formative years.
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As per Alexa von Tobel, teaching money management skills from an early age is crucial, yet largely absent from school curriculums. A study shows kids can absorb financial attitudes as young as age five, emphasizing the need for positive parental guidance. Von Tobel wrote a book to help children understand finances, aiming to enact change through early education.
Becky Kennedy and Von Tobel advocate for positive household attitudes, viewing money as an empowering tool, not a source of stress. They suggest using mantras like "Money is something I can manage" and "Money helps me live my life." This reframes money in children's minds as a functional aspect of life to be controlled thoughtfully.
Rather than paying for chores, which can breed entitlement, Kennedy and Von Tobel recommend allowances to teach delayed gratification. Setting savings goals, tracking progress visually, and celebrating milestones reinforces patience and smart spending habits. Their allowance guide helps families implement tailored practices.
Kennedy emphasizes openness in money talks and trusting parental intuition. Von Tobel advises involving kids in financial decisions and teaching costs tactically, like explaining a toy's price in tangible terms. Leading by example, engaging kids in exercises, and facilitating constructive conversations embeds financial consciousness.
1-Page Summary
Introducing financial literacy and money management skills to children at a young age is essential for closing the knowledge gaps that are not currently met in schools.
Alexa von Tobel emphasizes the critical role of financial literacy in empowering children's futures and is surprised by the absence of direct money education in schools. To address this need, she has taken the initiative to write a book that helps children understand finances. Von Tobel advocates for teaching basic financial concepts as early as the first grade to enact positive change in children's lives.
A study from the University of Michigan underlines that children can absorb attitudes toward money as young as age five, reinforcing von Tobel's point that the earlier the financial education begins, the better. She believes that a positive and non-stressful attitude towards money from parents can foster a healthy financial mindset in kids.
Despite the importance of financial education, von Tobel notes that money management still isn't included in many school curriculums, often leading adults to correct financial blunders that stem from a lack of early financial education. She asserts that mastering finances from a young age can lead to a significantly better life.
Von Tobel points out the importance of children learning to save, understanding compounding interest, and seeing their bank account grow. She practices this with her own children by preferring contributions to their savings accounts over gifts like toys, and making sure money is visible and t ...
Importance of teaching kids about money from an early age
Becky Kennedy and Alexa Von Tobel share insights on how fostering a healthy mindset about money from an early age is crucial for children’s development.
Becky Kennedy and Von Tobel emphasize the importance of holding conversations that shape children’s nuanced understanding of money, highlighting that financial responsibilities are things that children can learn to manage effectively.
Kennedy and Von Tobel both advocate for a positive household attitude toward money, suggesting that it should be seen not as a source of stress or a taboo topic, but as an empowering tool. Von Tobel stresses that money is simply a mechanism for trade and not the goal of life. She recounts how money was invented for bartering, a more convenient method than trading items like pelts.
Von Tobel offers mantras in the first chapter of her book, which Kennedy believes are helpful for children to understand and define their relationship with money positively. Kennedy und ...
Positive money mindsets and mantras for kids
As parents navigate the waters of allowances and financial education, experts Becky Kennedy and Alexa von Tobel offer advice on how to use this tool to teach kids about money management.
Becky Kennedy and Alexa von Tobel discuss the constructive use of an allowance to instill financial literacy in children by associating it with larger goals rather than immediate gratification.
Kennedy emphasizes the importance of keeping the allowance and chores separate. She mentions that integrating both can lead to a scenario where children expect payment for every small task. This can foster a sense of entitlement rather than gratitude and good habits. Likewise, von Tobel reiterates this sentiment by sharing that in her home, basic tasks are not paid chores because they are part of being a family member. Extra money is earned for tasks that go above and beyond everyday responsibilities.
The approach to allowance is one that both Kennedy and von Tobel believe should involve teaching children the value of savings and delayed gratification. Von Tobel talks about setting money goals with children and teaching them the difference between needs and wants. She suggests starting with clear jars for younger kids to see their money grow and using charts for older children to track progress toward their financial goals.
Von Tobel connects allowance and savings with the bigger value of patience. She reframes saving for retirement as "retirement spending" to help children understand the idea of waiting for more exciting things in the future. Furthermore, she advises taking a portion of the money children earn and putting it away for later, thereby ...
Using allowance and goal-setting to build money management skills
Parents play a crucial role in imparting financial literacy to their children, but many feel under-equipped to tackle these conversations. It is vital for parents to be transparent, set an example, and involve their kids in financial decisions.
Becky Kennedy touches on the necessity of openness in money discussions, emphasizing that there is no single correct approach to allowances and chores. Instead, she encourages parents to trust their intuition, be flexible, and adjust as needed, illustrating leadership in financial matters. Von Tobel also advocates for transparency with children, suggesting that parents include them in discussions about college savings, investments, and how money can grow through financial strategies without causing stress or worry.
Von Tobel emphasizes the importance of educating children on financial realities, such as the cost of everyday activities and choices, in a matter-of-fact manner. Kennedy suggests being mindful at home about spending and consumption, even if parents can afford more, to prevent instilling a mindset of immediate gratification.
Kennedy also recommends using everyday scenarios, like baking cookies or comparing the costs of taking a bus versus an Uber, to educate kids about money without attaching moral judgments. By employing the book as a learning tool and going through it with children, parents and children can learn together and facilitate meaningful conversations around money.
Von Tobel shares personal experiences such as explaining to her four-year-old the cost of a toy in terms of quarters, to help her understand why they couldn't purchase it. This kind of tangible interaction wi ...
Modeling healthy money behaviors and having open conversations with kids
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