Truth be told: we're not born knowing anything, and that includes the subject of money. Although some people think they were. Many people understand this fact and they ask me about teaching their children about money. This is the first in a series of articles that will help your kids understand money and how to make the most of it.
The ATM at my bank is the last slot at the drive-in window bank, or motor banking as some call it. (If you use the ATM at your bank it's less likely to incur a fee for withdrawing you own money.) These days it seems you don't have to get out of your car to even attend church...yep, you just drive into the parking lot and there are loud speakers at every parking space, not unlike the old-fashioned drive-in movies. Anyway, there is a tree that grows behind the ATM where I do my banking and I think people think that money does indeed grow on trees.
So...I began thinking: what do kids think when they see their parents withdrawing money from an ATM? Let's think about it; they must think that the ATM is where money comes from. So perhaps their next thought is: let's go get some more!
By taking your kids to work, even if it's for a morning or an afternoon, they can see that you are exchanging your time, talents and effort. When you explain that you get paid for your time, talents and effort, they will (or should) make the connection that this is what's done in order to "make" money.
With any luck, they'l eventually make the next logical correlation of money and education; the more education, the more money you'll make. Although that isn't always the case, they will understand they need to stay in school to at least get the basics in order to be employed doing something other than digging ditches.
What valuable take-aways do you think your children will receive when they see you working hard behind your desk?