The Junior Achievement’s white paper, Financial Literacy Foundation for Success: a Global Perspective, asserts that “For our young people to be financially literate, they must have the opportunity to acquire financial knowledge over time, knowledge that is commensurate with their age and ability. They also must experience and understand the connection between financial education and the difference it makes in their lives.”
This paper makes a compelling case for the root causes of our economic problems that we face today.
“Regardless of how we got here, the lack of financial literacy—especially for today’s youth—is a serious concern. We can place the blame on society, schools, financial institutions or parents, but the bottom line is we can’t begin to change the reality until individuals recognize—like Jefferson Agbai and his colleagues—that their futures, financial education and well-being rest in their own hands.”
Our goal is to provide you, parents of teens, with the information, tools, and resources that are needed to fulfill this responsibility. We understand that you have to find a way to make this subject appealing to your teen, and that’s what we are going to talk about next.
The way to motivate your teen to learn about money is by making it about their lives, their dreams, and their world. Teens will engage with you on this topic when they hear that:
- Money is a tool they can use to make their dreams come true, to provide the best the world offers to the people they love, and to make a difference in the world in ways that matter to them.
- Wealth is the end result of a lifetime of habits that are consistent with a healthy attitude and belief set. Anyone who wants to can build wealth, if they are willing to learn about and implement these habits and attitudes.
- Starting now, as a teen, makes it easy; starting later in life makes it very, very difficult.
Allow your teen to begin a lifetime of learning about money by providing them the opportunity to choose what appeals to them. Search the internet for books, games, DVDs, webinars, and websites that appeal to them. Encourage them to take a look, ask them what they learn from these resources, and support them in implementing what they learn into their lives.
One tool you can use to make money matter to your teen is the WealthQuest for Teens Online Video and Workbook. Narrated by and for teens, it is engaging, interactive, convenient, affordable, and effective.
Note: This post is one of five in our series, Our Comprehensive Approach. You can see the others by clicking Give, Practice, Align Your Mind, and Talk.
© WealthQuest for Teens, Ltd., 2012 All rights reserved worldwide.