When Parents See Money Differently: Getting on the Same Page for Your Kids
- Tyler Lavoie
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Most parents I talk with have the same worry in the back of their mind.
“I know money is important. I just do not know how to teach it without making it a big serious lesson.”
The good news.
You do not need a whiteboard.
You do not need the perfect
script.
You already have what you need.
The best money lessons for young kids happen in tiny, everyday moments.
In the grocery aisle.
On the couch before bed.
On the floor during pretend play.
You are already surrounded by teaching moments.
You just need a few simple phrases to bring them to life.
Everyday Moments Do More Than Big Lectures
Most kids will not remember a big “money talk.”
They will remember what you said when they asked for a snack.
Or when you stood in front of the toy shelf.
Or when you said yes, no, or not yet.
Money becomes normal when it is part of normal life.
So instead of adding one more thing to your to do list, we are going to look at three places you already are.
Grocery trips
Bedtime
Playtime
And show how one or two simple comments can plant real money wisdom there.
1. Teaching in the Grocery Aisle
The grocery store is one of the easiest classrooms you will ever step into.
You are already making choices.
Your child is already curious.
You do not have to turn every trip into a lesson.
Just pick one small moment and name what you are doing.
Simple Things You Can Say
When you put something back on the shelf:
“We are not getting this today. It is not in our plan.”
When you choose one brand over another:
“These two are almost the same. This one costs less, so we are choosing it. That leaves more crumbs for other things.”
When your child asks for a treat:
“Today we are buying what we planned. Let us put that on your Sweet list for another day.”
You are teaching that:
Money follows a plan.
Not every want becomes a yes.
Saying no is about choices, not about their worth.
None of these lines are long.
They are simply you thinking out loud.
Over time your child starts to hear a pattern.
“We choose with a plan.”
That is the lesson.
2. Bedtime Story Chats
Bedtime is already a quiet moment.
You are reading anyway.
You do not need a special “money book” every night to teach great lessons.
You can use almost any story to talk about choices.
Simple Questions To Ask After a Story
After finishing a book, you might ask:
“Did this character make a Smart choice, a Sweet choice, or a Heart choice”
“What did they give up when they chose that”
“What would you do if you were them”
You are not quizzing.
You are just wondering out loud together.
If you are reading a Colby Jack story, it gets even easier.
You might say:
“Was Cheddar thinking about now or later”
“How do you think Mozza felt when he was too scared to use his crumbs”
“What did Poppa Jack want them to remember”
These questions help your child:
Notice choices.
Connect feelings to money.
Practice thinking before acting.
All in a few extra minutes you are already spending together.
3. Playtime “Store” Games
Kids learn best through play.
If they can turn a blanket into a cape, they can turn a box into a store.
You do not need fancy toys.
You can use what you already have.
Setting Up a Simple Pretend Store
Grab:
A few toys or household items.
Some sticky notes or small pieces of paper.
A handful of pretend money or real coins if you are comfortable.
Let your child help set prices.
Then take turns being the shopkeeper and the customer.
As you play, you can say things like:
“You have 5 crumbs. This toy costs 3. If you buy it, how many crumbs will you have left”
“You can buy two small things or one bigger thing. What do you want to choose”
“Do you want to save some crumbs for later or spend them all now”
This is not about getting the math perfect.
It is about:
Feeling what it is like to have a limit.
Seeing that choosing one thing means not choosing something else.
Practicing “I will wait” in a safe and fun way.
Play lets your child mess up where it is safe.They can overspend with pretend coins and feel the trade off without any real cost.
That experience will follow them into the real world.
Tiny Comments That Shape Big Beliefs
Across all these moments, a few phrases can quietly build your child’s money mindset.
Here are some you can start using today:
“We chose this because it fits our plan.”
“In our family, we save for things that matter.”
“Sometimes we enjoy now. Sometimes we save for later.”
“We always try to share a little with others.”
“Money is how we make choices. We can learn together.”
You do not have to say all of them at once.Pick one or two that feel natural.Repeat them in different situations.
Repetition is what turns a sentence into a belief.
Taking the Pressure Off You
You might worry that you will say the wrong thing.
Or that you are starting too late.
Or that you need to understand everything before you open your mouth.
You do not.
Your child does not need a perfect money teacher.
They need a present one.
If you are willing to:
Notice everyday moments.
Say a few simple things out loud.
Keep the tone calm and kind.
You are already doing more than you think.
One Everyday Moment at a Time
You do not need to add another big task to your busy week.
Next time you are:
In the grocery aisle.
Reading a bedtime story.
Playing store on the living room floor.
Try one extra sentence.
One simple question.
One small explanation.
It may feel tiny in the moment.
But for your child, it is building something big.
A picture of money that feels understandable.
A sense that choices can be made with care.
A belief that they can learn as they go.
Money confidence does not come from one big lesson.
It comes from many small ones, tucked into everyday life.
One cart.
One story.
One game.
One crumb at a time.
And remember,
