When it comes to teaching kids about faith and finances, there is a wonderful opportunity to do both in the same manner. With that in mind, here are a few thoughts:
- Repetition works!
One of the first things my son memorized at a young age was the Lord’s Prayer. He heard it at home, church, and Sunday school. At bedtime, he started creating his own prayers in addition as he got older. It became a habit! Our youngest is a little more creative and does not memorize as much. The other night, she improvised, “Give us this day our daily … pizza!”
What are some ways we can talk about money with our kids on a regular basis? This may not always come naturally, and we may need to improvise a bit. Just like building good financial habits in general! It might start with a goal jar where you put money in on a consistent basis. Then, kids can start creating their own goals as they get older.
- Kids are always watching. How can we include them when making choices?
Learning how to make choices is a helpful money concept for kids. There are a lot of opportunities to choose from and every decision involves a trade-off. Guiding kids through how decisions are made can help them see their options, weigh pros and cons, and evaluate the outcome at the end. It can be things like going out to eat vs. making a meal at home or buying a toy now vs. saving money for a bigger item later.
- Generosity connects the dots between faith and finance.
At my friend’s church, during offering time, kids are welcomed to bring their money up and put it in a large wooden box. It usually turns into a race to get to the front. One service, she watched a kid put his money in first, and then did a celebratory, “yes!” full body movement. The congregation chuckled and enjoyed the child’s joy in giving.
Talk about what it means to be generous. When was something given to you? When did you share something with a friend? Did it involve money or time? This could lead to the idea that there was extra to give, and money was set aside. This paves the way for additional money lessons down the road.
The good news is we can proceed with confidence in these faith and finance conversations at home because grace abounds! It does not mean mistakes will not happen, in fact our kids benefit from seeing those ups and downs in life, and realizing there is grace to learn and grow. Also, remember that you are not alone on this journey – you have Everence and Financial Choice to provide encouragement along the way.