12 Books (and Growing): All the Books I’ve Read on Children’s Finances

From Beth Kobliner, the author of the bestselling personal finance bible Get a Financial Life—a new, must-have guide showing parents how to teach their children (from toddlers to young adults) to manage money in a smart way.

Many of us think we can have the “money talk” when our kids are old enough to get it…which won’t be for years, right? But get this: Research shows that even preschoolers can understand basic money concepts, and a study from Cambridge University confirmed that basic money habits are formed by the age of seven. Oh, and research shows the number one influence on kids’ financial behaviors is mom and dad. Clearly, we can’t afford to wait.

Make Your Kid a Money Genius (Even If You’re Not) is a jargon-free, step-by-step guide to help parents of all income levels teach their kids—from ages three to twenty-three—about money. It turns out the key to raising a money genius isn’t to teach that four quarters equal a dollar or how to pick a stock. Instead, it’s about instilling values that have been proven to make people successful—not just financially, but in life: delaying gratification, working hard, living within your means, getting a good education, and acting generously toward others. More specifically, you’ll learn why allowance isn’t the Holy Grail when teaching your kid to handle money, and why after-school jobs aren’t always the answer either. You’ll discover the right age to give your kid a credit card, and learn why doling out a wad of cash can actually be a good parenting move.

You don’t need to be a money genius to make your kid a money genius. Regardless of your comfort level with finance—or your family’s income—this charming and fun book is an essential guide for passing along enduring financial principles, making your kids wise beyond their years—and peers—when it comes to money.

In Smart Money Smart Kids, Dave Ramsey and his daughter, Rachel Cruze, team up to share some personal family stories you don’t want to miss! Get a no-nonsense approach for teaching your kids and teens the basics of money.

Find practical strategies to raise money-smart kids in this debt-crazed world. Smart Money Smart Kids offers common-sense ways to teach these money lessons:

• Where money comes from
• The value of hard work
• How to save, spend, and give
• Debt, and how to avoid it
• Paying cash for college
• Living responsibly

Is it possible to raise financially responsible kids of any age in a society filled with consumerism and entitlement?

New York Times best-selling authors Steve and Annette Economides raised their five kids while spending 77 percent less than the USDA predicted. And the money they did spend was also used to train their children to become financially independent. The MoneySmart Family System will show you how to teach your children to manage money and have a good attitude while they’re learning to earn, budget, and spend wisely.

Learn how to:

• Get the kids out the door for school with less stress.
• End the battle over clothing―forever
• Teach your children to be grateful and generous.
• Inspire your kids to help with chores as a member of a winning team.
• Prepare your kids for their first paying job.
• Help your kids pay for their own auto insurance, and even pay cash for their own cars.
• Employ strategies for debt-free college educations.
• Truly help your adult children when they want to move back home.
• Be prepared to deal with your adult children when they ask for bailouts.

With clear steps for children of every age, The MoneySmart Family System proves that it’s never too early, too late, or too hard to start learning financial responsibility.

“Every parent or parent-to-be should read this book!” ―Dr. Laura Schlessinger

“But everyone else has it.” “If you loved me, you’d get it for me!” When you hear these comments from your kids, it can be tough not to cave. You love your children―don’t you want them to be happy and to fit in?

Kristen Welch knows firsthand it’s not that easy. In fact, she’s found out that when you say yes too often, it’s not only hard on your peace of mind and your wallet―it actually puts your kids at long-term risk. In Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World, Kristen shares the ups and downs in her own family’s journey of discovering why it’s healthiest not to give their kids everything. Teaching them the difference between “want” and “need” is the first step in the right direction. With many practical tips and anecdotes, she shares how to say the ultimate yes as a family by bringing up faith-filled kids who will love God, serve others, and grow into hardworking, fulfilled, and successful adults.

It’s never too late to raise grateful kids. Get ready to cultivate a spirit of genuine appreciation and create a Jesus-centered home in which your kids don’t just say―but mean!―“thank you” for everything they have.

What would you teach your younger self about money if you had the opportunity?

Unfortunately, most schools don’t teach money management. Money habits whether good or bad are passed down through the generations at home.  What were you taught?

Is it the same thing you want to teach your children?

Statistics show that most of what we’ve learned about money from our parents was not adequate to help us achieve financial freedom.  The majority of American adults are in debt with very little savings. 

But what if it could be different for your child?

It can be. 

If you want to set your child up for success then you have to homeschool them on money. That’s what the wealthy do! 

Teach Your Child to Fish gives you the curriculum to teach your child to build wealth young and manage their money wisely for the rest of their lives.

In this quick and easy to implement program Holly Reid, a Certified Public Accountant, shares a Biblical perspective on how to help your child…

-Find a purpose driven career so they can make money without ever ‘working’ a day in their lives

-Be a conscious consumer so they don’t fall prey to savvy marketers

-Use credit responsibly so they don’t end up trapped in debt

-Make charitable giving a lifestyle so they experience the joy of living in service

And more.

Dave Stone shares creative ideas, real-life stories, and scriptural guidance about how to be a family that puts others first. 

In this third book from the Faithful Families series, How to Raise Selfless Kids in a Self-Centered World, Dave Stone continues to share his practical, conversational, and humorous approach to the challenges of building a strong spiritual foundation for the family. He equips parents with what they need to raise kids whose focus is not always on themselves. Some topics include: Becoming Others Focused, Service, Generosity, Forgiveness, and much more. 

Preaching is his gift, but Pastor Dave Stone’s family is his life’s blessing. And after raising three kids of his own, as well as shepherding the diverse families of his twenty-thousand-member congregation, his heart and passion for building strong families rings louder than ever. He knows that raising faithful families is a vital key to continued growth of the church.

Raise your hand if your parents had “the talk” with you. No, not that talk. We mean the money talk.

Money affects you and your kids every day. Now there’s a way to talk about money in a way that actually brings your family closer.

With two kids of our own, we suspect our parenting goals are likely the same as yours―no spoiled brats, no crippling debt, and kids who know a dollar actually takes work. That’s why we wrote this book.

The 5 Money Conversations to Have with Your Kids at Every Age and Stage offers practical advice for dealing with three age groups (5–12, 13–17, and 18 and beyond). It is the parenting “how to” book you don’t want to live without.

• Conquer the 5 toughest money conversations to have with your kids
• Discover your kids’ Money Personalities by taking the age-based Money Personalities Assessment (access code included inside)
• Learn their Money Languages so you can be heard

We give you relationship secrets, share our experiences, and make it fun. Whether your kids are 5 or 25, this book will change the course of your family forever!

Rich Kid Smart Kid is written for parents who value education, want to give their child a financial and academic head start in life, and are willing to take an active role to make it happen… In the Information Age, a good education is more important than ever. But the current educational system may not be providing all the information your child needs.

This book was designed to fill in the gaps to help you give your child the same inspiring and practical financial knowledge that Robert Kiyosaki’s rich dad gave him. Rich Kid Smart Kid will show you how to awaken your child’s love of learning using the same methods that Robert’s smart dad used to help Robert stay in school, even though he had bad grades and often wanted to drop out. Rich Kid Smart Kid will open doors that you never knew existed, enabling you to pass down the skills and understanding your child will use for the rest of his or her life.

Rich Dad’s Rich Kid Smart Kid will answer… is school preparing your child for the real world? As a parent, have you ever asked yourself:Is school teaching my child how to financially survive and thrive in today’s – and tomorrow’s – world? What can I do if… my child does not like school… brings home bad grades… is labeled learning disabled… wants to drop out of school? How can I make sure my child gets the real-world guidance he or she needs?

This book will teach you the 5 most powerful money rules in the world that will change your kid’s financial world forever. Financial education is not about teaching kids how to get what they want, it is about teaching them how to get what is worth having. What are your kids learning in school? Are they learning about saving, planning, investing, or becoming leaders? Are they learning how to start their own business or how become good employees? Are they learning how to manage credit or to accumulate credit card debt?  Are they learning how to solve their financial problems or simply accumulate debt until they go bankrupt? Are they learning how to save on taxes or to pay as much taxes as possible?

You should think about what your kids are learning every day because they will grow up fast and the opportunity to help them to become financially prepared will be gone.

Own your future. Own your life. Own your money. Most people live their lives with money as their master. Money tells them to go to work. Money makes them get out of bed. Money even makes them lose their hair, gain weight, and stress all day. Should your kids go through the same money problems most adults go through? Should they have to suffer the consequences of a missed education? Why not invest in their future by helping them learn to lead a fulfilling financial life?

This book will cover the most important things kids will need to learn about money.

This book will teach you and your kids how to:

• Save for the future through budgeting and controlled expenses.
• Create and manage your credit wisely.
• Grow your savings through compound interest.
• Compound interest to create future wealth.
• Own instead renting your future home.
• Become a business owner instead of an employee.

There are things in life you will have to deal with sooner or later and money is one of them. Learning to manage money will have a profound effect on your kid’s future potential. Waiting for them to grow up to teach them what needs to be done financially is too late. Start now if you want to make a real difference in their lives. Who knows, maybe they’ll grow up to become the next billionaire.

Whatever their ages, you can still turn your kids into super savers, savvy shoppers, and cautious users of credit. The author, a mother of three and senior editor of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine, has compiled an invaluable guide for parents who want their children to: Understand How Money Works; Distinguish Wants from Needs; See Through Advertising Hype; Use An Allowance – or Income – Wisely; Experience the Joy of Earning, Saving, and Giving; Invest and Collect for Benefit – and Fun; Live Within Their Means; Create Their Own Opportunities for Work and Income; Live Independently When the Time Comes; Balance Their Priorities – School, Work, and Family.

Strictly for parents, Bodnar also offers advice on how to identify your “Money Style”, set limits, and reaffirm values you want to share with your children.

Never before has there been a time when the economy has been so much a part of our daily lives. Today’s young investors want to know the basics of finance, and especially how to make money grow. This complete guide explains in kid-friendly terms all about savings accounts, bonds, stocks, and even mutual funds!