The First National Bank of Dad

1. Give children control over their money to foster responsibility

If the money they spend isn't truly theirs, they have no compelling reason to pay attention to how they spend it.

Control breeds responsibility. When children have genuine ownership of their money, they learn to make thoughtful decisions about spending and saving. This approach allows them to experience the consequences of their choices, both positive and negative, in a safe environment.

Practical implementation:

• Let children decide how to spend their money without parental veto power
• Avoid confiscating or controlling their funds
• Provide guidance and advice when asked, but refrain from dictating decisions
• Allow them to make mistakes and learn from the outcomes

By giving children control, parents help them develop critical financial skills and confidence that will serve them well into adulthood.

2. Offer attractive interest rates to encourage saving habits

If you offer your children true control of their money and a sufficiently attractive rate of return, they'll save all by themselves.

Incentivize saving. Children need to see tangible benefits from saving to make it appealing. Offering high interest rates through a "Bank of Dad" or similar system can make the power of compound interest visible and exciting.

Setting up a home banking system:

• Create accounts for children with higher-than-market interest rates
• Compound interest monthly to show rapid growth
• Use software like Quicken to track balances and interest
• Gradually decrease rates as children get older to transition to real-world expectations

This approach helps children understand the value of delayed gratification and the growth potential of saved money, setting the foundation for lifelong saving habits.

3. Separate allowances from chores to teach financial independence

Linking a chore to an allowance turns the chore into a job, and that creates the possibility that the worker might someday decide to retire.

Decouple money from household duties. Allowances should be viewed as a tool for financial education, not as payment for chores. This separation teaches children that contributing to household tasks is a family responsibility, while managing money is a separate skill to be learned.

Implementing a balanced approach:

• Provide a regular, unconditional allowance
• Assign age-appropriate chores as family contributions
• Offer opportunities for extra earnings through special projects or tasks
• Avoid using allowance as a punishment or reward for behavior

By keeping allowances and chores separate, parents can teach both financial literacy and the importance of contributing to family life without creating confusion or resentment.

4. Create a home stock exchange for hands-on investing experience

The only possible solution, I eventually decided, was to start a stock market of my own.

Simulate real investing. A home stock exchange provides children with a safe, engaging way to learn about investing without the risks associated with real market participation. This hands-on experience teaches valuable lessons about risk, reward, and market dynamics.

Setting up a home stock exchange:

• Use real stock prices, but denominate in pennies instead of dollars
• Allow children to buy and sell with their own money
• Act as the market maker, taking the other side of trades
• Provide regular account statements and performance updates
• Introduce concepts like dividends, market indexes, and diversification

This approach gives children practical experience with investing concepts, preparing them for future financial decisions and fostering an understanding of economic principles.

5. Use eBay as an economics laboratory for real-world lessons

Thanks to eBay, my son and I both gained genuine insight into the behavior of buyers and sellers of all kinds, including, of course, ourselves.

Real-world economics playground. eBay offers a unique opportunity for children to participate in a genuine marketplace, learning about supply and demand, pricing strategies, and consumer behavior firsthand.

Leveraging eBay for financial education:

• Help children sell unwanted items to understand value and pricing
• Encourage research on similar items to set competitive prices
• Discuss the costs associated with selling (fees, shipping, etc.)
• Analyze successful and unsuccessful sales for insights
• Use the platform to observe market trends and consumer psychology

By engaging with eBay, children can gain practical experience in commerce, develop entrepreneurial skills, and learn valuable lessons about the dynamics of buying and selling in a real-world context.

6. Prioritize reading to children as the best long-term investment

Read to them even more than you already do.

Literacy as a foundation. Reading to children regularly is one of the most impactful investments parents can make in their child's future. It develops critical thinking skills, expands vocabulary, and fosters a lifelong love of learning.

Benefits of reading to children:

• Improves listening skills and attention span
• Enhances language development and grammar understanding
• Develops imagination and creativity
• Prepares children for academic success
• Strengthens parent-child bonds

By prioritizing reading, parents equip their children with essential tools for success in education, career, and life. This investment pays dividends far beyond any financial strategy, setting the stage for lifelong learning and achievement.

7. Cultivate an understanding of true net worth beyond monetary value

Thinking about True Net Worth encourages you to weigh one hour against another—and maybe even to think of your life as a depreciating asset, which steadily dwindles whether you use it wisely or not.

Redefine wealth holistically. True net worth encompasses more than just financial assets. It includes experiences, relationships, personal growth, and overall life satisfaction. Teaching children to consider these factors helps them make more balanced decisions about money and life.

Components of true net worth:

• Personal relationships and family bonds
• Experiences and memories
• Skills and knowledge
• Health and well-being
• Time and how it's spent
• Impact on others and community

By broadening the definition of wealth, parents can help children develop a more nuanced understanding of success and fulfillment, leading to more thoughtful financial and life choices.

8. Balance financial education with emotional intelligence

Money is so easy to understand in theory that you'd think more people would do a good job of handling it in practice. But they don't.

Emotions matter in finance. While teaching children about money, it's crucial to address the emotional aspects of financial decisions. Understanding how feelings like fear, greed, and envy influence financial behavior is as important as learning about budgets and investments.

Integrating emotional intelligence in financial education:

• Discuss the feelings associated with spending, saving, and investing
• Explore how advertising and peer pressure affect financial decisions
• Teach strategies for managing impulse purchases and buyer's remorse
• Encourage reflection on personal values and how they relate to money
• Practice delayed gratification and long-term thinking

By addressing both the practical and emotional aspects of money management, parents can help children develop a more balanced and resilient approach to personal finance.

9. Encourage entrepreneurship and creative money-making

If you are willing to think creatively about buying and selling, and if the Internet doesn't scare you to death, you and your kids can use eBay to acquire a real, hands-on education in some of the basic principles of free-market economics.

Foster an entrepreneurial spirit. Encouraging children to explore creative ways of earning money teaches valuable lessons about initiative, problem-solving, and the value of work. These experiences can instill confidence and business acumen from an early age.

Ways to promote entrepreneurship in children:

• Support lemonade stands, yard sales, or other small business ideas
• Help them identify needs in the community they could fulfill
• Encourage participation in school fundraisers or charity events
• Assist in setting up online stores or services
• Discuss business models of companies they're familiar with

By fostering an entrepreneurial mindset, parents can help children develop valuable skills that will serve them well in any future career path, while also teaching them about the relationship between effort and reward.

10. Teach charitable giving through example, not coercion

Charity and coercion are mutually exclusive. The way to teach charity is not by fiat but by example.

Model generosity. Forcing children to give away a portion of their money often backfires, creating resentment rather than genuine charitable impulses. Instead, parents should demonstrate the value and joy of giving through their own actions.

Strategies for teaching charitable giving:

• Involve children in family giving decisions
• Discuss the impact of donations on beneficiaries
• Volunteer together as a family
• Encourage children to choose causes they care about
• Share stories of how giving has positively affected others' lives

By making charity a natural, positive part of family life, children are more likely to develop a genuine desire to help others and contribute to their community. This approach fosters empathy, social responsibility, and a broader understanding of their place in the world.

Last updated: November 3, 2024