Money in Everyday Moments: Teaching Without Sitting Down for a “Lesson”
- Tyler Lavoie
- 12 hours ago
- 4 min read
If you are like most parents, you probably think something like this.
“I know I should teach my kids about money. I just do not know when or how.”
You picture a big talk at the kitchen table.
Everyone sitting still.
You explaining savings and budgets like a teacher.
And because life is busy and that moment never feels perfect, it keeps getting pushed off.
Here is the good news.
Your child is already learning about money.
Every day.
From you.
They learn when you say yes.
They learn when you say no.
They learn when you talk out loud about the choices you make.
You do not need a special “lesson.”
You just need to notice the moments you are already in.
In this post, I want to show you three simple moves you can start using in regular life:
Narrate your choices.
Invite your child to help.
Name the feeling, not just the money.
That is it.
Three tiny habits that turn normal days into money training.
1. Narrate Your Choices Out Loud
Most of the time, parents are making money decisions silently.
You compare prices in your head.
You decide what fits the budget.
You put things back without saying why.
Your child sees the action, but not the thinking.
Narrating your choices lets them peek inside your brain.
You can try this in all kinds of moments.
At the drive thru.
In the online cart.
While paying a bill.
Small phrases like:
“I am checking the price before I buy.”
“We planned for this, so I feel good pressing pay.”
“I like this, but it costs more than we want to spend right now.”
You are not giving a lecture.
You are simply saying out loud what you are already doing.
Over time, your child starts to connect money with words like “plan,” “check,” and “choose,” not just “want” and “get.”
2. Invite Them In With One Simple Choice
Teaching money does not mean handing a five year old the full family budget.
It can be as small as letting them help with one tiny decision.
For example:
At the store
“We have enough crumbs for one treat today. Do you want to use it on popcorn for movie night or ice cream on the way home”
At home
“We set some money aside for fun this month. Should we use it for a family pizza night or for a trip to the playground with snacks”
Online
“We can rent one movie this weekend. Help me choose which one.”
You are teaching three big ideas in a very small way:
There is a limit.
There are options.
We choose on purpose.
Kids feel proud when they are part of the decision.
That pride is what keeps them engaged.
They are not just being told “we cannot.”
They are learning “this is how we decide.”
3. Name the Feeling Alongside the Money
Money is never just about numbers.
It is always mixed with feelings.
Excitement.
Disappointment.
Frustration.
Pride.
If you only talk about the money and ignore the feeling, the lesson is going to land half built.
So when something happens, try pairing the two.
When you say no
“You look really disappointed. You were excited about that toy. It is okay to feel that way. Today we are still going to stick with our plan.”
When they save up
“You must feel proud. You waited and saved your crumbs, and now you can buy it.”
When you choose not to buy
“I like that you noticed the game, but listened to your body when you felt it was too much money. That is you practicing a Smart choice.”
Money plus emotion is where real memory gets made.
Your child learns not just “what we did,”but “how it felt”and “why it mattered.”
Everyday Places To Practice These Three Moves
Here are a few ordinary moments where you can layer in narrate, invite, and name.
You do not have to use all three every time.
One is enough.
Morning coffee stop
“I am choosing to make coffee at home today instead of buying it, so we can save more crumbs for our weekend plans.”
Ordering takeout
“We planned one takeout night this week. Today we are choosing to use it. Help me pick which place.”
Sorting mail
“These are bills. That means things we already agreed to pay for, like lights and water. I feel grateful we can cover these.”
Dropping coins in a jar
“When we put money here, we are saving for later. It is okay to feel impatient. Waiting is part of the skill.”
None of these are big set pieces.
They are small sentences layered into what you are already doing.
You Are Probably Doing More Than You Think
Most parents are already teaching.
They just do not give themselves credit for it.
If you have ever said:
“We are not getting that today.”
“Maybe for your birthday.”
“We are saving for something bigger right now.”
You have already started.
All we are doing is tightening it up a little:
Narrate.
Invite.
Name.
You are not trying to create a perfect script.
You are just helping your child see:
That money is something you think about.
That choices happen on purpose.
That feelings are allowed, even when the answer is no.
One Ordinary Day At a Time
You do not need a formal “money night” to raise a confident kid with money.
You need:
Everyday moments.
A few simple phrases.
A willingness to talk out loud.
Next time you are already in the middle of life, try one of these:
Say what you are doing with your money.
Offer one small choice they can help make.
Put words to the feeling that comes up.
That is it.
Money confidence grows the same way everything else does in childhood.
One ordinary day at a time.
One small comment at a time.
One crumb at a time.
Remember,
