Teaching Teens About MoneyMost adults I know, and this includes myself, never got a formal education in finances. Yet interestingly enough, a study I read recently said that the overwhelming majority of parents felt that 
How scary is that?And where would that leave us as homeschoolers :-)? Now,I admit that I have felt woefully inadequate to teach my kids about money. Sure, I know the basics: how to balance a checkbook, how to figure interest and tax (and tips when you are at a restaurant), the concepts behind a mortgage, consumer credit and the stock market. But that's about where it ends. And frankly, the way the economy is changing right in front of our eyes these days, I know that that it isn't enough! I've talked about using a home business as a creative spark to teach "real world" skills, and certainly a web-based business will help them be better prepared for success in the future. But...where do we find adequate resources to teach the concepts and practices that will enable our kids to do well - financially speaking - in the future? Fortunately, there's alot of help available "out there"; unfortunately, there's alot of junk "out there", too! The bottom line is this - if we want to see our kids pursue their talents, dreams and goals to rise above wherever we're at today, we have to do our homework as well! Studying, reading, learning, asking questions and finding the answers, being brave enough to try "something different" - these are the activities that will allow our kids to rise above the crowd, be leaders, and establish the success that forms the basis for their financial stability as adults. Sure, we can encourage them to "go where no (parent) has gone before"...but it's much more effective to model it for them... 
So without further ado, here are some resources to get you started on teaching your teens about money! The classic book that "started it all": Robert Kiosaki's book "Rich Dad, Poor Dad". You may not agree with everything he has to say, and he certainly does have his critics, but how can you argue against developing an entrepreneurial spirit in your kids and encouraging them to work for more than just wages? You can read some of it here and decide *when* to buy it for yourself ;-)!
I found KidsWealth a while back and wrote a review about their system in my blog.. They had a free download offer at the time, which was certainly a value-laden product, but do check out "their stuff". This Squidoo lens provides directions to make your own version of the bank they have for sale. There's also alot of other good financial-education-type resources in this lens. And although kidsbankbook.com is clearly promotional for the book and system, do take the time to read their information for your own education and background, whether or not you decide to order it. Patti Handy, of kidscashcoach.com has plenty of life experience in handling finances and has as her life's mission to teach kids how to become financially responsible and independent. When you visit her site you can sign up for a weekly video money-teaching tip. While her approach is clearly not from a faith-perspective, she has lots of information to glean from so that we can help our kids not make the same mistakes we did (do?)! Her blog alone is a great resource, but she is currently working on a DVD curriculum for the homeschool market, due out in summer of '09. Keep checking back here as I add books and websites that I discover. I'll preview everything I post, and add reviews when I can. Interested in more information? Looking for more creative ideas to keep school interesting and engaging ~ for you and your kids? You can have "Sparks for the Flame" delivered right to your in-box each month! Get new ideas to keep the fires burning brightly in your homeschool ~ sign up below and receive a FREE report "just for you": 10 tips-4-Mom to refresh and restore! Homeschool High School Homeschool High School - FAQs Effective Communication with Teens Help with choosing a College and Career Guidance Discipline Expectations - Yours and Theirs! Growing Independence Return from Teaching Teens About Money to Help-4-Your-Homeschool Home Page
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