Explaining that the term "Job" means so many things and that the word "Job" is whatever you want it to be, this conversation also opens up their minds to entrepreneurship and the different benefits that come with that line of work.
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By Joanna Lampejo
I think it’s really important that young children learn about financial literacy, especially at a young age. Young children understanding the value & importance of money from a young age cultivates a positive healthy relationship their finances.
Creating a healthy outlook on money begins at home, now I come from an era where these healthy habits were not taught at school and I can honestly say, I didn’t learn them
at home either (Scary)
Now does that make my parents bad people?
Absolutely not, they taught me the values they thought were important at that time.
So, I guess, what I’m trying to convey is, I would like to do things a little differently for my children.
Children need good examples around them in order to build a lifestyle of financial sustainability and wealth long term. Parenting often reminds us that we are our children’s biggest influencers when it comes to creating healthy financial habits and mindsets in general.
Here are some of the things myself and the kids have began to intentionally apply, we are total newbies to this world & are learning so much everyday day, we are not experts, but rather trying to live a more intentional life.
These are a some of the steps we have recently taken to help us along the way:
What Is Money:
Allowing children to recognise money, coins, notes and most of all understanding what each value means. A fun game we play is the "The Piggy Bank Game" we look through the kids piggy bank and sort through the coins, which sparks curiosity and a ton of questions and sometimes a few blank stares.
Teaching children where money comes is such an important foundation to financial literacy.
Describing the jobs we have or what we do for a living allows children to put the pieces to the puzzle a bit better. Explaining that the term "Job" means so many things and that the word "Job" is whatever you want it to be, this conversation also opens up their minds to entrepreneurship and the different benefits that come with that line of work.
Learning To Save:
Finding creative ways of explaining the value of financial responsibility to the kids especially when all they really want to do is buy toys can be some what challenging . Making this part of their daily lifestyle allows them to create healthy financial habits. Explaining why & how things will cost money is an important part of introducing a saving's jar.
Explaining the importance of saving and how it can assist them down the line is very important.
When Cara wants (X) I encourage her to save for it and to look at her savings jar and count how much she currently has in there and we break down how much more she needs to reach her goal.
Teaching children about the principle of delayed gratification is such an important part of being financially responsible. The lesson is that sometimes saying “Not yet’ to the things you want right now is not a bad thing, but actually builds a lot of self restraint and self discipline.
It's never too soon to teach a child anything, as long as they have a basic level of understanding. Children will surprise you!
Work - (Hard & Smart)
Cara seems to want new toys several times a day (It’s that tough phase)
We reward Cara with a variety of systems depending on how outstanding her behaviour has been. Understanding the value of material possessions is really important for children, because at the end of the day it all ties in to them becoming financially responsible.
Every time Cara has an elaborate idea of a new toy she has seen, I encourage it & ask her how does she think she can save for this toy?
At first, Cara would just stare at me & think - ("what on earth are you talking about mum")
Now, well now, she knows the lingo and plays the game with me and she understands that hard work will be rewarded. Working hard and smart is even better, especially as the two are combined.
Teaching a child that we all have talents and it's about finding these talents and really utilising them is what gives you an edge in this thing called life! God plays a big part in our home and praying that God would reveal our talents to us whilst we actively put ourselves out there is something I strongly encourage.
Opportunities - (Side Hustles)
I'm a big believer in stepping out and doing things that are not in your comfort zone, you often find that real opportunities are birthed through these situations. Every year we visit a pick your own farm and food store (PYO).
We always leave with a variety of produce. As a result, this sparked a curiosity of us wanting to grow more things in our own garden. A little while ago after praying for some months about more opportunities for Cara and CoCo, I had this interesting idea, let's make strawberry jam and sell it to friends and family, this in turn will spark more ideas and will inevitably create more opportunities down the line, so that is what we did, Cara sold her first batch of strawberry jam for a pound a pop and this went right into her piggy bank, not only has she learnt how to make jam, but your child will slowly begin to understand all the other steps which work hand in hand with time, paying yourself first, investing, giving back, saving and eventually become financially sustainable.
Teaching children if you want something, not only do you have to save for it, but understanding that you have God given talents you can use to help you get there quicker. Teaching your child to create systems that will work for them long term and in turn these systems will inspire more opportunity to create a residual and passive income stream long term.
It's never too soon to teach a child anything, as long as they have a basic level of understanding. Children will surprise you!
Happy reading!
About Me:
My name is Joanna, a wife & mother of two, on an adventure called life. I'm founder of JoannaLampejo.com. I started blogging at the beginning of the year, I'm start up entrepreneur, with the desire to spend more time with my family whilst exploring personal financial sustainability. We love travelling, learning about different cultures and are massive foodies.
Creating memories with my tribe is a complete and utter joy.
All while trying to adopt an intentional way of living life. As I intentionally evolve & explore through this journey, I hope to bring you along with as I embrace the process and not the end product.
What do I blog about?
I mostly write about being a homemaker, motherhood and personal development, we are massive explores, who love travelling, eating good food, cooking and are always seeking for opportunities to learn & grow. Blogging and vlogging are a way for me to express myself and most of all look back at all the adventures & memories we create.
Cara:
Cara is a threenager going on 14 and is the heart of all of our adventures, she never wants to stop having fun. Cara loves baking, cooking, cleaning and is obsessed with learning new things, she is super cheeky and is always ready for a laugh. Cara has the perfect balance of loving the outdoors and when we are indoors, she's either baking, wanting to cook or wants to do some kind of DIY. Cara is a girl after my own heart!
CoCo - Alexender:
Alexander, who we call CoCo as a nickname.
(Cara actually came up with his nickname and it has just stuck)
CoCo is One years old and is the total opposite of Cara, he would rather stay at home all day and break things and then fix them again. He is a typical cheeky chappy and absolutely loves a laugh. CoCo has for sure brought a balance to me as a mother, he has totally softened me up we all absolutely adore him and we think he knows that.
