{"id":11702,"date":"2026-01-27T21:52:05","date_gmt":"2026-01-27T21:52:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/32-of-parents-avoid-talking-money-with-their-kids-here-are-5-simple-phrases-to-buck-that-trend-in-your-family\/"},"modified":"2026-01-27T21:52:05","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T21:52:05","slug":"32-of-parents-avoid-talking-money-with-their-kids-here-are-5-simple-phrases-to-buck-that-trend-in-your-family","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/32-of-parents-avoid-talking-money-with-their-kids-here-are-5-simple-phrases-to-buck-that-trend-in-your-family\/","title":{"rendered":"32% of parents avoid talking money with their kids. Here are 5 simple phrases to buck that trend in your family"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div xmlns:default=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" data-testid=\"article-body\">\n<div class=\"bodyItems-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->Money-savvy kids grow up to be money-savvy adults, but many K-12 schools in the U.S. don\u2019t offer financial literacy education.<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->As a result, this task often falls to parents. And, even if parents don\u2019t talk to their kids about money, their kids are listening and watching \u2014 and often modeling their financial behavior.<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->Jonathan Sanchez, co-founder of Parent Portfolio, didn\u2019t want his kids to \u201cfeel overwhelmed or intimidated by money,\u201d he writes in CNBC Make It. That concern inspired him and his wife, Jacqueline, to take control of their finances: paying off debt, starting to invest and building a net worth of $1 million. Today, they help others do the same through their personal finance blog, Parent Portfolio. (1)<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->\u201cTalking about money is a regular practice in our home,\u201d he says. \u201cOur kids don\u2019t see money as a mystery box, but as a tool that they feel confident about using.\u201d And there are five simple phrases he uses with his kids to instill key financial concepts and get them excited about saving and investing. (1)<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->No special tools or financial expertise are required \u2014 just simple mindset phrases any parent can incorporate today.<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->Many American adults struggle with financial literacy. The ninth annual Personal Finance Index from the TIAA Institute found that financial literacy remains low among U.S. adults, who were only able to correctly answer an average of 49% of the index questions. (2)<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->Yet, those with higher financial literacy are more likely to spend less than their income, build an emergency fund and plan for their long-term financial future, according to a report by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Investor Education Foundation. (3)<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->Research also shows that kids form money beliefs from a young age. By age three, kids can already grasp basic money concepts, and by age seven, \u201cmany of their money habits are already set,\u201d according to Beth Kobliner, a leading authority on personal finance for young people. (4)<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->More than half of American adults (56%) say their parents didn\u2019t discuss money with them, according to a Fidelity survey. (5) So it\u2019s perhaps not surprising that a Wells Fargo survey found that almost a third (32%) of parents feel uncomfortable talking to <em>their<\/em> kids about money. (6)<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>   <button class=\"secondary-btn fin-size-large readmore-button    rounded   yf-r7dg9i\" data-ylk=\"elm:readmore;itc:1;sec:content-canvas;slk:Story%20Continues\" aria-label=\"Story Continues\" title=\"Story Continues\"> <span>Story Continues<\/span> <\/button> <\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more-wrapper\" style=\"display: none\" data-testid=\"read-more\">\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->But conversations can be simple, conversational and even fun. Millionaire dad Sanchez says these are the five phrases he uses to teach his kids about money:<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<ul class=\"yf-h8k6hx\">\n<li class=\"yf-h8k6hx\">\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START --><strong>\u201cYou can make money while you sleep.\u201d<\/strong> This idea \u201csounds like magic to a kid, and that\u2019s exactly why it works,\u201d says Sanchez. It introduces how compound growth works in saving and investing.<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"yf-h8k6hx\">\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START --><strong>\u201cSaving can help you avoid stress in the future.\u201d<\/strong> Kids might not have to worry about rent or car payments, but unexpected expenses can still crop up, like a \u201cbroken bike chain or a school fee they forgot about,\u201d says Sanchez. This helps them understand the importance of an emergency fund.<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"yf-h8k6hx\">\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START --><strong>\u201cYou don\u2019t want to work forever.\u201d<\/strong> By teaching kids about investing from an early age, they\u2019ll learn how this could open up options later, such as retiring early. It\u2019s also an opportunity to teach them about lifestyle inflation, so their spending won\u2019t increase automatically as their income grows.<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"yf-h8k6hx\">\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START --><strong>\u201cSave to get something you really want.\u201d<\/strong> Credit cards and BNPL (buy now pay later) apps make it easy for kids to buy whatever they want, whenever they want, \u201cbut debt can turn that momentary happiness into long-term stress,\u201d says Sanchez. Instead, he encourages his kids to save for something they want, rather than relying on credit.<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"yf-h8k6hx\">\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START --><strong>\u201cValue what you worked so hard for.\u201d<\/strong> Sanchez says his kids take better care of the things they save for \u201cbecause they understand the effort it took to earn them.\u201d<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START --><strong>Read More: The average net worth of Americans is a surprising $620,654. But it almost means nothing. Here\u2019s the number that counts (and how to make it skyrocket)<\/strong><!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->In the U.S., companies spend about $17 billion each year marketing to children. And it\u2019s not just traditional TV commercials, but also social media influencers, product placement in YouTube content, embedded ads in mobile apps, and even branded online games. (7)<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->So talking about money \u2014 and modeling positive money habits \u2014 should begin from a young age.<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->Parents can start talking to their kids about money when they\u2019re in the second or third grade, David Anderson, PhD, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute, said in a recent article. \u201cThat\u2019s when most kids\u2019 math skills get to the point where they\u2019re able to understand this kind of arithmetic.\u201d (8)<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->Simple, consistent repetition can often be more effective than one-off lessons \u2014 like repeating the five phrases that Sanchez recommends. But parents also have to <em>live<\/em> the habits they want their kids to adopt. Several studies show that children model their family\u2019s financial habits and attitudes around spending, saving and attitudes toward debt. (9)<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->That might mean creating a budget before heading to the grocery store and then sticking to it, or fixing things when they break instead of throwing them away, according to the Child Mind Institute. (8) Even something as simple as explaining why you\u2019re choosing a generic brand at the grocery store and how it helps you save money can become a teachable moment.<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->Framing the message is also important. For example, telling a child you can\u2019t afford to buy them a new toy lands differently than telling them that you\u2019re choosing to put that money toward the family\u2019s savings instead. Or, you can help them understand the trade-offs: If we buy this new toy, we can\u2019t put that money in our vacation fund.<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->Teaching money-savvy habits to your kids doesn\u2019t have to be difficult. Like millionaire dad Sanchez does, five simple phrases \u2014 on repeat \u2014 can help instill money lessons they\u2019ll carry with them for life.<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->Join 200,000+ readers and get Moneywise\u2019s best stories and exclusive interviews first \u2014 clear insights curated and delivered weekly. <strong>Subscribe now.<\/strong><!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START --><em>We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our<\/em> <span><em>editorial ethics and guidelines<\/em><\/span><em>.<\/em>](https:\/\/moneywise.com\/editorial-ethics-and-guidelines).<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->CNBC (1; TIAA (2); FINRA Foundation (3); PBS (4); Fidelity (5); Ipsos (<span>6<\/span>); enx2 (7); Child Mind Institute (8); Springer (9).<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START --><em>This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.<\/em><!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Money-savvy kids grow up to be money-savvy adults, but many K-12 schools in the U.S. don\u2019t offer financial literacy education. As a result, this task often falls to parents. And, even if parents don\u2019t talk to their kids about money, their kids are listening and watching \u2014 and often modeling their financial behavior. Jonathan Sanchez, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11703,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_daextam_enable_autolinks":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[10],"tags":[1547,469,1543,563,1541,1546,1542,1545,1544],"class_list":["post-11702","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-news","tag-american-adults","tag-dave-ramsey","tag-financial-behavior","tag-financial-literacy","tag-jonathan-sanchez","tag-money-beliefs","tag-parent-portfolio","tag-paying-off-debt","tag-talking-about-money"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/26e92b3a08dac71c66465b98fb294465.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11702","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11702"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11702\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11703"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11702"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11702"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11702"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}