Summer Reading: Teaching Kids Good Money Habits

BY ABBY MCCLOSKEY

With summer upon us, I’m beginning to see summer reading lists everywhere I look. I am a reader in my personal time, so naturally, my news feed populates with all sorts of lists: business, fiction, history, etc. I generally read fiction for the full escape experience, with an occasional non-fiction or business book.

Business and work-related books are sometimes tough for me for a couple of reasons: I don’t want to give up valuable reading time on something that isn’t just for me (reading is my selfish guilty pleasure). I also get so many recommendations across the board, I’m not always able to pick out winners that enhance my work life.

My daughter is five, which may seem young to start, but she has been earning money for chores, and for her, it seems to work. I was raised in a house where the expectation was on schoolwork, and I wasn’t getting paid for things I was supposed to do.

This summer, and for the rest of the year, I am going to try something different. My kids are young, but they can speak, so, naturally, they ask for things every place we go. I’m going to use my kids as a social experiment (you’re welcome). I am working on a list of books to read that focus on teaching kids about good habits with money, but also about gratitude and entitlement.

I’ll continue to share my finds with you, and welcome any recommendations.