Teaching Kids Money - One Simple Mantra at a Time
In this Good Inside episode, Dr. Becky sits down with investor and author Alexa von Tobel to make “money talk” feel doable at home. The big idea: kids don’t need spreadsheets—they need repeatable mantras and tiny reps that build healthy money habits over time.
What lands:
Normalize the convo. Treat money like any other life skill: name it, explain it, and keep it judgment-free.
Start small, repeat often. Short mantras kids can echo (and see you model) beat long lectures. Think: “Money is a tool,” “I can wait and save,” “Needs before wants,” “Every dollar has a job.”
Use real life. Allowances, saving for a goal, or talking through a receipt turns abstract concepts into concrete lessons and builds delayed gratification.
Invite questions. Openness reduces shame and keeps the door open for bigger conversations as kids grow.
Try this tonight (5 minutes):
Pick a line you like—e.g., “Money is a tool we learn to use.”
Give one real example from your day of using that tool (saving, spending, or giving).
Ask your child what job they’d give to $5 this week.
Celebrate the plan, not the price tag.
🎧 Listen: Money Mantras Kids Need to Hear (39 min, released May 6–7, 2024, depending on platform)
