Becoming a parent is one of the most rewarding experiences in life. However, the pressure to set your children up for the best start in adult life can seem like a monumental task. Teaching your child to cook, do their own laundry, and clean the bathroom all takes time. However, the most strenuous of lessons can be handling money. Money stress has the ability to keep you up at night, and can even be the main reason for relationship problems and family feuds – something everyone wants to protect their children from. Below are a few ways you can best educate your child on dealing with money and give them their best chance in life.
Teach Your Child The Time Value Of Money
Earning pocket money is a given in many households with young children, however helping them to understand the time value of the money they receive may not be. Everyday life really does revolve around money. The tap turns on because your water bill is paid, and you get up every morning for work to ensure you have the money in order to pay that bill. Simply sitting down with your child, whilst playing a game of shop, to explain why the cashier is at work every day can help your child to comprehend the process of money, and why they have to earn it through doing chores.
Allow Your Child To Gain Experience Purchasing
Depending on the age of your child, you may think it is too early to allow them to go up to the counter themselves and purchase the fidget spinner they wanted so badly. However, giving them the experience of asking a shop assistant for help and advice on a purchase could start to build a good foundation for their spending habits. Encouraging your child to really think about and research their purchases to ensure they are getting the best price available, and highest quality. Just like you would seek advice on investments and pensions from wealth management services – you can educate your child on seeking advice on their purchases – no matter how small they may be. This will help to set in a place a healthy and intelligent habit that will continue into their adult life.
Teach Them About Waste
Opening your child’s eyes to food waste and the cost of breakages could help them to understand the value – and the privilege – of money a little better. Accidents, of course, happen, and even more so when you have children. However, you can help your child to be more careful by explaining to them that what they have broken cost money, which is now having to be thrown away. It’s the same process with food. The rule “no sweets before dinner” is important to reduce the amount of food wasted in your household – explain that food also costs money and throwing it away is not only a waste of food but money too.
Hopefully, this has given you a few ideas on how best to prepare your children for their independent, working life. It is never too early to start instilling good habits, and they will certainly thank you for it later on in life.
