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- How to Talk Money Without Boring Your Kid (or Yourself)
How to Talk Money Without Boring Your Kid (or Yourself)
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Hey, Raising Humans Crew!
Ever feel like teaching your kids about money is one of those things you know you should do… but don’t know where to start (or how not to make it boring)? You’re not alone! Financial literacy doesn’t have to mean spreadsheets and stress—it can actually be really fun, eye-opening, and confidence-building.
This week, we’re diving into practical (and unexpected!) ways to help kids understand money, from tariffs to building your own mini home economy. Whether your child is 5 or 25, this edition gives you tools, language, and fresh ideas to raise financially confident humans.
Also in this edition:
Let Your Values Lead: Build a Financial Compass Together: Help your kids connect money decisions to what matters most in your family.
Smart Money Moves for Kids & Teens: Practical tips to turn everyday moments into powerful financial lessons.
“It’ll Cost You 2 Cookies to See My Toy”: Explaining Tariffs in Kid Terms: Break down global trade and price hikes in a way your child will actually understand.
Survey Says: We asked, you answered! Here's what parents really think about last week's big question.
🧠 The Think Tank: Cast your vote in this week’s poll!
The Toolbox: Tech, Apps, and Resources to Help Kids Thrive: Kid-friendly tools to build money smarts—without the stress (or spreadsheets).
This edition of Raising Humans is brought to you by Morning Brew! ☕
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Let Your Values Lead: Build a Financial Compass Together
It’s easy to think of budgeting, saving, and financial planning as “grown-up stuff”—but involving your kids in these conversations can be one of the most powerful lessons you give them.
When children understand why your family spends, saves, and gives the way it does, they learn that money isn’t just about numbers—it’s about values, priorities, and goals.
Create a Family “Financial Mission Statement”
This week, sit down together as a family and answer a few simple (and fun!) questions:
What do we value most as a family—adventure, education, giving, creativity?
What do we want to spend money on?
What do we want to save for?
How do we want to help others with our money?
Your family mission might sound like:
“We use our money to grow as a family through travel and learning, to help others when we can, and to plan for our future with confidence and care.”
Writing a mission statement together gives kids ownership—and helps guide future spending decisions as a team.
Smart Money Moves for Kids & Teens
Depending on your child’s age, here are a few ways to help them start managing real money in a safe, guided way:
For tweens & teens:
Look into custodial Roth IRAs if they’re earning money from side gigs like babysitting, tutoring, or even TikTok content. It’s a powerful way to plant the seed of long-term saving—and you can match their contributions to boost the learning experience.For high schoolers:
Consider budgeting and banking apps like Step, Greenlight, or FamZoo that allow teens to co-manage money with parents, track spending, and set saving goals.For all ages:
Open a 529 college savings plan and show your child how it grows over time. Even small, consistent contributions can spark great conversations about future goals and planning ahead.
And Be Sure to Talk It Out!
Even simple moments—like explaining why you didn’t get takeout this week or why you're saving for a vacation instead—are teachable. Share the “why” behind your choices. It shows your kids that financial health is not about restriction—it’s about direction.
Need a conversation starter? Try this:
“If you had $100 to spend, save, and give—how would you divide it up?”
Their answers might surprise you, and you'll get insight into how they're already forming their money mindset.
We know… everyone’s talking about the T-word lately.
Tariffs.
They’re all over the news again, and you’re likely seeing the ripple effect at the store—whether it’s pricier LEGO sets, tech gadgets, or even lunchbox staples.
But here’s the thing: if you’ve noticed it, your kid probably has too. And we’re guessing you’ve gotten a question or two like:
“Why is this toy so much money now?”
“Did the store change the price?”
“Can we still buy it?”
That’s why we’re here—to help you have that convo in a way that makes sense to them (and doesn’t require a degree in global economics).
So don’t stress—we’ve got your back with an easy kid analogy, a real-life example, and even a short video to watch together.
How to Explain It to Kids (Without the Glossy Eyes)
Kid Analogy:
“Imagine your friend has a really cool toy that you want to trade for. But before you can even make the trade, they say, ‘Sure—but first, you owe me 2 cookies just to look at the toy.’ That’s kind of like a tariff! It’s an extra cost just for the chance to get something from someone else.”
Another angle:
“You know how the school store sometimes raises the price of the pencils everyone wants? A tariff is like that—only it happens between countries.”
Last week, we asked: “What future skill do you want your child to develop most?”
The top answer?
🧠 Problem-solving and critical thinking — chosen by 50% of parents.
We also received some incredibly thoughtful responses that blew us away—so much so that we had to share a couple that really stood out!
“I think children are naturally creative and innovative—they just need to hold onto that in their adult years. Of the four, I think coding and tech skills will hold the least long-term value, as technology is always changing. Communication and leadership is important also, but I see modern society seems to have a hard time with challenging problems and critical thinking. These skills are invaluable and will benefit them for decades to come!”
“In my very personal opinion, communication is the most important skill we can help our children develop. It’s everywhere. It shapes everything. You can have the highest IQ, be a genius in math, coding, robotics, whatever! But if you don’t know how to communicate, to connect with others, to express yourself clearly and listen with empathy, then all those incredible talents might land you a great job… but what about the rest of your life?
Because life is not just your job. Your job is only part of your life. It does not define who you are.
True fulfillment, the deep, human kind, comes from how we relate to others. It’s in the way we build strong ties, create friendships, foster community, and show up for one another. That’s what makes life rich and meaningful.
I want to raise a human being who is emotionally mature. Someone who can walk their own path without stepping over the people around them. Someone who knows how to stand firm in who they are and still be kind. Someone who understands that emotional intelligence and empathy aren’t soft skills—they’re core skills.
When we invest in our kids’ ability to communicate, we are investing in their ability to lead. Not just in business, but in life! We’re helping them become problem-solvers, bridge-builders, and positive leaders who understand others and make people feel seen and heard.
Putting yourself in someone else’s shoes—and knowing how to express that understanding will carry them further in life than any other skill ever could.
So let’s raise kids who know how to speak from the heart, listen with intent, and act with empathy. The world needs more of them!”
We couldn’t agree more! Whether you feel it’s creative problem-solving, leadership, creativity, or coding/tech skills…thanks for being part of the conversation!
🧠 The Think Tank
We’re asking parents like you to share their thoughts on topics that matter each week! Cast your vote and see what others think! We’ll chat more about the results next week. 👀
The Toolbox: Tech, Apps, and Resources to Help Kids Thrive
Here are some kid- and parent-friendly apps to support healthy financial development:
💸 Bankaroo - An easy-to-use virtual bank for kids to manage their allowances and savings goals. Kids can create budgets, track income, and set savings targets, making it a fun way to introduce basic financial concepts.
🏦 iAllowance - A parent-controlled allowance and task management app that helps kids earn money by completing chores and responsibilities. Parents can set limits, track spending, and help kids save for specific goals.
💳 Greenlight - Greenlight offers a debit card and app for kids to manage their money with parental oversight. Parents can set spending limits, monitor transactions, and help teach financial responsibility.
🏦 Khan Academy – Financial Literacy - Great for teens (and even adults!). From understanding interest rates to navigating the stock market, this course simplifies complex financial concepts into easy-to-understand lessons
📚 FamZoo - FamZoo is a family finance app that helps teach kids about money through virtual allowances, budgeting, and spending. It includes tools for kids and parents to work together on financial education and saving goals.
💡 Financial Literacy for Kids – Free Courses by EverFi - EverFi offers free, engaging, and age-appropriate online courses to help kids learn the basics of managing money. The interactive lessons cover topics like saving, spending, investing, and earning money.
Until Next Week…
Money is just a tool, but learning how to use it wisely is a skill that will serve your child for life. Whether they’re counting pennies or planning their first business idea, you’re helping them build confidence and character with every conversation.
Thanks for joining us in raising kind, capable, and confident humans.
We’re so glad you’re here.
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