Admittedly, money is not the easiest topic to talk about.
It can bring up feelings of shame and inadequacy and — at least in my experience — has been a frequent subject of familial disagreements.
In this edition of Valley Parents, we chose to explore the way parents and educators teach children financial literacy as a way to break down the taboos that surround talking about money. As Valley Parents correspondent Kelly Burch found in her reporting, it is never too early to start talking to children about money.
“Parents might think ‘I’d like to talk to the kids about money, but I have credit card debt, so what do I know about financial planning?’ ” Timothy Fisher, owner of Hanover-based Fisher Financial Advisors, told Burch.
But debt should not prevent parents from speaking to their kids about finances, experts told Burch. One place to start, financial coach Katy Alstrom said, is by talking about financial priorities.
“You can say, ‘these are our family’s resources and this is what we choose to do with them,’ ” Alstrom said.
Upper Valley schools also do their part by offering courses in personal finance.
“When it comes to financial literacy and personal finance education, that drumbeat is getting louder and louder,” said Daniel Hebert, president of the New Hampshire Jump$tart Coalition, which advocates for more financial education.
It’s important to note that, even if parents are struggling with their finances or debt, they are still capable of talking to their children about money management.
“The taboo should come down,” Fisher concluded.
Hopefully this edition of Valley Parents gives families a place to start.
Liz Sauchelli can be reached at esauchelli@vnews.com or 603-727-3221.
