For a long time, talking about money felt off-limits—like something best kept between adults behind closed doors. But as we reimagined our family’s financial path, we realized that leaving our kids out of those conversations was a missed opportunity. Kids are observant. They notice when we say “that’s not in the budget” or when we pause at the price of something. Rather than shield them, we decided to include them.
Not in a stressful way. Not with spreadsheets and worry. But with calm, age-appropriate, values-centered conversations.
The results? Remarkable.
From Taboo to Empowering
We didn’t set out to teach our kids everything about money. We started small. We began narrating our decisions in simple terms. “We’re skipping takeout tonight so we can save for our trip to the mountains.” Or: “We could buy that now, but we’re choosing to wait and use our money for something more meaningful later.”
According to The Opposite of Spoiled by Ron Lieber, this kind of open, ongoing dialogue is one of the best ways to raise financially literate and emotionally grounded kids. Lieber writes that “every conversation about money is also a conversation about values.” We saw this firsthand. As we connected our spending choices to our family’s core values—freedom, simplicity, generosity—our kids began to internalize those values too.
Age-Appropriate Financial Literacy
Our 1st grader doesn’t need to know about compound interest. But he does understand the concept of saving. He has three jars: Spend, Save, and Give. When he gets birthday money or earns a few dollars for helping out beyond his usual chores, he divvies it up. We are also going to start giving an allowance this year with these same guardrails.
Our older child, now in fourth grade, is learning about opportunity cost. She knows that buying one thing might mean waiting longer for another. That simple lesson—one that many adults struggle with—is incredibly powerful when introduced early.
Ron Lieber emphasizes that money is never just about money. It’s about patience, generosity, gratitude, and the ability to delay gratification. By integrating these lessons gradually and naturally, we’re helping our kids build strong financial habits and emotional resilience.
Teaching Values Through Spending
We’re not aiming to raise little misers or future finance execs. We want to raise humans who make choices aligned with their values.
That’s why we involve them in real decisions. For example, when we decided to downsize our holiday gifting and focus on shared experiences instead, we talked about why. We explained that we’re saving for a big family adventure, and that memories mean more than more stuff.
Interestingly, they didn’t protest as much as I’d expected. In fact, they started suggesting their own cost-saving ideas—homemade gifts, baking together, doing an outdoor scavenger hunt instead of another round of toys.
This is values-based spending in action.
Creating a Safe Space for Questions
One of the biggest mindset shifts we made was this: We don’t need to have all the answers. If a question about taxes or interest comes up and we’re unsure, we say so—and look it up together. That openness models curiosity and reinforces that money isn’t something to fear or be ashamed of.
By creating a shame-free zone around money, we’re teaching our kids that finances are a part of life—not a secret or a source of stress.
Give, Spend, Save — and Talk About It
One of our favorite weekend activities is sitting down for “money check-in.” It’s short and low-key. We each talk about something we spent money on, something we’re saving for, and something we gave away. Sometimes that’s donating to a cause, helping a neighbor, or even just buying a friend a treat.
These conversations help anchor our family in gratitude and perspective.
We want our kids to see money as a tool, not a goal. Something they can use intentionally—to build, to help, to create.
Final Thoughts
Empowering kids through family financial conversations doesn’t require a special curriculum or perfect budgeting. It starts with transparency, values, and small moments of dialogue.
When kids understand why you make the choices you do—whether it’s saying no to Amazon splurges or opting for a used bike—they learn to trust the process. They begin to ask smarter questions, make mindful choices, and view money not as a mystery, but as something they can understand and navigate.
We’re not just teaching money habits. We’re raising future adults who know how to live with intention, generosity, and wisdom.
Up Next? Consider sharing your own journey with your kids—what you wish you’d learned earlier, and what values you want your money to reflect today. That’s where the real transformation begins.
