7 tips: This is how children learn to deal with money early on

2023-11-30 10:10:00

For many families, the financial situation is currently not easy to manage. Saving is not always easy, especially in the run-up to Christmas when there are various purchase offers and supposed bargains. Especially not when the children beg because they really want something. Because, as we all know, they don’t care much about saving.

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Michaela Rimser from SOS Children’s Villages knows how you can teach children how to handle money carefully without causing fear.

Children can tolerate the truth well

Of course there are differences in the choice of words between a 3-year-old child and a 14-year-old teenager, but the truth is acceptable to our children. Without raising existential concerns, children can be explained how various political changes can lead to the family budget having to be paid attention to and less money available, says Rimser.

Practice handling money in a child-friendly way

Whether with play money or smaller amounts of pocket money, you can practice handling money in a playful way. Be it “playing at the grocery store” or actually shopping in the supermarket. This means that children understand early on what they can buy for a certain amount of money, that a budget is finite and that they should think carefully about their purchasing decision.

We all live in a consumer society. The question every parent should ask themselves: What values do I want to pass on to my child for later life as an adult? What is really important for happiness? Which needs need to be met and which can be postponed? In this regard, as in many educational topics, there is no clear “right” or “wrong.” You should never forget that you are your children’s greatest role model.

The expert advises using the well-known two words “please” and “thank you”. From the beginning, children should be taught how to ask polite questions rather than just making blunt demands.

Children don’t necessarily need expensive gifts on the birthday table to feel valued and seen, says the expert. If you listen carefully to your child and observe what they are passionate about, it is often the small, perhaps even free things. Maybe it’s a trip to the zoo together that makes a child happy. Or a great picnic at the playground.

The expert advises you to be transparent about your own feelings, even if it’s not easy to do so when it comes to money. You can also give vent to your own frustration and say, for example: “I’ve been wanting the new book for a long time. Well, I guess I’ll have to wait a little longer. That annoys me a little bit.” This way, the topic becomes tangible without any weight for your child and he or she is not alone in his or her frustration.

Adhere to commitment

Children should see their parents as reliable caregivers. Empty promises should be avoided. Clarity helps immensely, even if it is sometimes difficult. A clear “no” to a request can also stop some discussions and attempts at negotiation. If you leave children’s gift wishes open in the hope that they will be forgotten, then the child’s inner wish list becomes longer and longer and leads to constant frustration.