Have you ever thought about how kids learn to speak a pretty complex language?  And when I say ‘speak’, I mean all the intricacies that go along with it…body language, inflection, nuance, …in addition to vocabulary and sentence structure.  It’s a pretty amazing feat and, yet, we all learn how to do it pretty seamlessly and without formal instruction.

Much of it happens indirectly.  Our kids are absorbing what we do – it’s how they learn to operate in the world.  And while absorbing the nuances of spoken language can be quite useful, our kids are also absorbing lots of other messages we may not even know we’re sending, good or bad…how we react when something unexpected happens, how we deal with a difficult client (or family member!), how we handle ethical issues such as cheating…

The Money Connection: By the same token, our kids are absorbing our money messages…good or bad.  Spend a few moments and reflect on some of the messages you may be sending your kids and think about how your kids may be interpreting them.  Ask yourself…

Do I avoid talking about money to my kids? Do I ever say things like money doesn’t grow on trees? Do I encourage my kids to be thankful for what they have? Do I argue about money in front of the kids? How do I react when something unexpected and expensive happens? Do I value saving money? How do I handle a solicitor coming to the front door? Are my kids secure that all their needs will be met? Am I an impulsive shopper?  Do I hoard all my money? What do I choose to spend my money on? Do I talk more positively or more negatively about money?

Decide on the money messages you want your kids to receive then open up an honest, age-appropriate discussion with them.  Conversation is a great way to develop healthy money attitudes in our kids…and ourselves.