6 Money Lessons We Are Teaching Our Toddler With Intention

Neither Sean nor I got financial lessons growing up. Money just wasn’t something that was talked about much at home. So like most people we know, we’ve had to figure it out along the way. We’re going to do this differently for our kids. These 6 money lessons are the foundation we are setting for bigger talks we’ll have as they get older. 

Like any parent, we want to make the road a bit easier for them. If we plant the seeds, we are hopeful that they will make sound financial decisions as they grow. We don’t want to keep them in the dark when it comes to finances and we think that age-appropriate lessons are a good way to start their financial educations.

6 money lessons we are teaching our toddler: 

1. Money is necessary but it’s not the key to happiness.

Part of the reason that we are so passionate about intentional living is that we want to mirror that for the kids. We want them to have wonderful childhood memories filled with flashbacks of love and amazing experiences. 

We want them to look at money positively. To see it as a tool to help them through life and fulfill their passions. But we never want them to lose sight of what truly matters. 

2. You need a budget.

Baby girl at 4 years old of course doesn’t know how to budget yet, but she gets the concept of a budget. 

If she asks us to buy her something, even if the answer is yes, she doesn’t get it right away. We let her know that we will get it for her but that we need to work it into the budget first. 

She now asks “mommy can you put kinetic sand in the budget for me please?”.

Not only does she get the lesson that things don’t just come to her easily and just because she wants them, but she’s learning patience.

3. There are priorities.

We really want to teach them the concept of priorities and that there is an order to some things. Once, baby girl said to me, “Mommy when we pay all our money [I figured out that was her version of being debt-free] can we get a hot air balloon?

I’m really glad that she’s still at a point where she thinks we can go out and buy a hot air balloon to commute in. But what it says to me is that she is grasping the idea of priorities. She is understanding that the bills come first. 

4. Save for your future.

Baby girl has a piggy bank. Whenever she gets money, she heads directly to her piggy to deposit her money.

We opened savings accounts for both kids when they were born. Honestly, we haven’t put any money in them as of late. We’ll be playing catch up when we pay off the rental properties. That’s one of the top priorities.

But as they get older we plan to take them to the bank so that they can conduct their own banking transactions. So they get that wonderful feeling of depositing funds into their savings accounts and watching that money grow. 

5. Giving isn’t optional. 

We really believe to whom much is given much is required. Giving is one of the things we look forward to most when we are debt-free. We still make small donations currently, but it’s limited. We look forward to giving in big ways when we are debt-free. 

The other day baby girl said she was going to put money in her piggy bank, but it was to buy a gift for one of her friends. My baby, earmarking funds. It made me smile. 

6. Enjoy your life.

Money helps you live and provides you with life’s essentials, but it is also to be enjoyed. If they make wise financial decisions, they will be able to have more fun with their money. 

These are 6 of the money lessons we are teaching our toddler. As our kids grow, these lessons will expand and some will become more formal with books and video lessons.  For right now, we incorporate things into everyday life to subtly set the foundation for financial literacy and success. 

Are there any money lessons you are currently teaching or planning to teach the little ones in your life?

With Intention,

Sean and Simone 

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