Model Positive Financial Habits

Children have an uncanny ability to mimic their parents behaviour, even from an early age. According to the California Department of Education, children begin to imitate simple actions and facial expressions as early as 8 months of age. By 18 months, they are able to repeat more complex actions based on previous experiences.

Therefore, the way you manage money around your children can have a huge impact on their future financial habits. Mary Chan, a mother of two, has a creative way of introducing financial concepts to her children. “I give them coins (that I have sterilized beforehand),” she says. “I let them categorize, count and try to come up with combinations that equal $1. In addition, I give them some money to 'buy' their own toys and snacks at home. It's educational and fun at the same time!”

Pocket Money Can Be a Double-Edged Sword

Mary's experience with giving her children an allowance has been mixed. “My son wanted to start doing chores in exchange for a small allowance,” she explains. “It was a good way to introduce the concept of the relationship between work and money. However, this did not motivate him to do chores as a form of contribution to the family. Therefore, we decided to no longer give pocket money for daily chores, only for big tasks that require more effort.”

The key to this approach is finding a balance between teaching the value of money and avoiding an attitude of entitlement. By letting children handle real money and make purchase decisions, you are giving them hands-on experience that will help them become financially responsible individuals in the future.

Investing for Future Education

In addition to modeling good financial habits, planning for your child's future education is also very important. Whether it's through an education fund or a savings account, starting early can have a huge impact on their ability to realize their dreams.

Remember, the journey of teaching your children to be financially wise is a long-term process. By implementing these strategies, you will not only help your children achieve financial success in the future, but also foster a deep appreciation for the value of money throughout their lives.