Be Intentional

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

“Children are sponges–they are going to absorb whatever is around them, so we need to be intentional about what surrounds them. The good news is you can choose your family tradition for the next generation. It is a choice.”

I think the most important overarching theme of the book Smart Money, Smart Kids is to be intentional. Teaching kids about money does not happen by accident. The two quotes above are perfect in regards to being intentional with your kids when it comes to teaching them about money.

One way to be intentional about teaching kids about money is to use teachable moments. Those teachable moments can be created or can be utilized by being cognizant of the moments that present themselves. Either way, it is better to be able to apply the concepts in their lives, rather than just “preaching” but never “practicing”.

Another great way to teach your kids about money is to the model behavior. Dave and Rachel reiterate throughout the book that “more is caught than taught”. As a parent or role model for children, you must “walk the walk” not just “talk the talk”. You must demonstrate through action, not just words. The kids are watching and waiting to see what you are going to do. Are you implementing these concepts yourselves in your daily life?

 

My parents instilled important values in me throughout my upbringing. They stressed the importance of saving for college, retirement, and did not encourage the use of debt. I remember being in about 3^rd grade, and we were eating dinner; my parents started a conversation with my sister and myself about saving up for college. They told us that we would need to decide where we wanted to attend college because they needed to begin saving for it. This was my first and most vivid memory of money.

Dave Ramsey and Rachel Cruze’s new book Smart Money, Smart Kids is releasing on April 22nd. On the Smart Money, Smart Kids website (www.smartmoneysmartkids.com) you can pre-order the book and get more than $50 in FREE extras to help you raise money-smart kids! The pre-order includes a copy of the hard cover book, the audiobook, a video lesson, and the eBook. There is also an option at the bottom of the website homepage that allows you to enter your email address and get the introduction and first 2 chapters emailed to you now!