Saturday, December 10, 2011

Three Tips to Teaching Financial Literacy

Teaching Personal Finance to teens will help youth avoid many of the mistakes that are plaguing so many young adults today. By teaching money management skills they need to excel in today's society; you are giving them a gift that will benefit them their entire life.

Teaching money management skills that are focused on a 'practical' financial education will help to reduce debt, increase savings and ensure the financial security of millions around the world.

In today's age, it is more important than ever that parents start teaching money management skills to their children. Teaching personal finance is not done in most schools due to budget restrictions and other red tape. Schools have a lot of other required coursework they must teach due to the 'No Child Left Behind' and teaching financial literacy is not part of that bill.

Looking at the statistics it is apparent the majority of parents do not have enough knowledge to teach financial literacy to their children. In fact, many parents today are experiencing financial troubles and wish they had someone that was skilled in teaching them personal finance matters.

Teaching money management skills in today's age is critical. There simple way you can begin teaching personal finance to your children so they are prepared for the real world! Even if you have made financial errors yourself there are teaching financial literacy resources available to help give your family a big advantage.

Three Tips to Teaching Money Management Skills Teaching personal finance will help your children to achieve financial security and can give them an advantage that they will benefit them throughout their life. Check out the list below to discover the top ways to teaching money management skills.

1) Financial Literacy Lesson Plans - Today there are financial literacy lesson plans available that help parents that want to be teaching money management skills to their children. Make sure the personal finance curriculum plans you choose have been designed by a team of experienced professionals. Teaching financial literacy is much more effective when the financial literacy lesson plans were developed by a team of financially successful entrepreneurs and teachers that have a track record of financial literacy lesson plan development experience. Teaching personal finance curriculum that combines top teachers with business leaders will put you immediately on the right track.

2) Communication - The backbone to teaching personal finance effectively starts with communication. Today's youth are not focused on just "money". It's what money 'allows them to do' that motivates our children to learn about personal finance. When you teaching financial literacy be sure to ask about their personal dreams and find out how they want to live their day-to-day life. Then relate their aspirations to how having a solid understanding of money can help them reach their goals faster. You will be pleasantly surprised at how many youth want to learn about money when it your teaching money management skills that focuses on lifestyle.

3) Entertaining - By the time the average student graduates from high school they may have been in over 10,000 classes. That is why it is important that you are teaching personal finance in a way that makes you stand out from the thousands of presentations. Teaching money management skills in a way that engages the students will keep their interest. Teaching financial literacy in a fun, entertaining way will help them internalize financial literacy lesson plans so they benefit from this knowledge throughout their life.

These three tips lay the financial foundation that will make truely make a difference in the life of your children. Of course, it is important to be teaching personal finance on an ongoing basis so your children continue to have the advantage of a financial education as they enter the real world.

By teaching pesonal finance to your children they get a 'head start' on life and are prepared to meet its challenges. Teaching money management skills can help your child achieve financial independence at a young age and avoid many of the financial pitfalls many of their peers will find themselves in.


------

Visit the National Youth Financial Educators Councils site at http://www.FinancialEducatorsCouncil.org and pick up complimentary reports and videos on how to teach personal finance tips.