Teaching Young People About Money
I taught over 500 young people about money at West Ridge Church in Dallas, GA recently, and it was INCREDIBLE! I was teaching from my book, What Everyone Should Know About Money Before They Enter The Real World.
Here is what stood out to me:
- They were very energetic – but also paid attention very well
- The compound interest example captured ALL of their attention – even the 6th and 7th graders!
- Young people dream more than adults
- Their dreams are much less impacted by the potential financial cost
- They are just more passionate about life – period!
- Most of them are more aware of money and money issues than the young people I was teaching five years ago. I think the global recession has caused this generation to truly pay attention to money.
- They clearly know that it is EZ™ to win with money!
FIRED UP!
I wish that there was a class when I was in high school. It really got me thinking that one thing Christian schools are not doing is providing that class. I graduated from a private Christian school and seriously lacked any education in money and how it related to my life spiritually and financially. Not because I did not pay attention, but it just was not taught. This really should be made aware to the Christian schools and youth programs. If my mom would have tried to teach me, I would not have listened, as she did not go to church, did not tithe, and did not have a spiritual life, however, had I learned in school, I might have avoided a few mistakes. I don’t think most youth programs or Christian schools realize how big of a role spiritually they have in most teens lives. Don’t get me wrong, everyone will make at least one financial mistake, but I was CLUELESS about handling money at all, let alone tithing and the reasons or even just staying debt free. I really wish I had known more. Not that it’s the total excuse for my financial immaturity as a teen/young adult, but knowledge IS power, and I feel like every generation knows a bit less, which is probably the reason this country is in the financial debt that it is in. Thank you for giving your knowledge to those you can, and hopefully, if everyone just passes it along to one person (or their own children) the financial future of this country will not look so bleak.
P.S. Not that not listening to my mom was the right thing, in no way saying that, but that it would have been harder to apply to my life coming from someone who did not apply it to theirs.