It's a good idea to teach your children about money. Savings accounts, budgeting basics, and pitfalls of credit cards are all important topics. But when should you start?
Ron Lieber shows that financial literacy efforts are moving closer and closer to your child's original birthday. Story books and TV shows increasingly send messages about how to deal with money. While we don't really know how successful these programs are, they may help the next generation avoid a few their parents' mistakes.
It may seem like money is just too serious for children (and it may be), but Lieber notes that kids seem interested in serious topics:
"All of the big questions come up before first grade -- God and death, jail and fairies..."
See the New York Times for more on financial literacy for young children.
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