The Anti-Chore Moms
 

(And yes… I said what I said.) We’re raising a generation of kids who are sharper, more tech-savvy, and more capable than we ever were at their age — so why are we still handing them a piggy bank shaped like a cartoon dinosaur and calling it “financial literacy”? Look, I love a good lemonade stand moment. It’s adorable. But if the goal is to raise confident, financially fierce humans? We need to level up. This is the stuff I wish someone taught me long before I was babysitt

Teaching kids about money doesn’t have to be complicated or stressful—it’s about giving them simple, consistent lessons that stick. By age 12, every child should grasp these three foundational truths to set them up for lifelong financial confidence.

Here’s the truth: kids are always learning about money — even when we’re not talking about it. A landmark Cambridge University study found that by age seven, children have already formed core money habits—including how they perceive saving, spending, patience, and self-control. By the time they can multiply fractions, they’ve already absorbed what money means in your home. If money feels tense, scarce, or off-limits, they’ll feel that.

We all want to give our kids the best, but many parents are realizing their children don't appreciate it. The eye rolls and complaints are signs of entitlement, which often sneaks in quietly when we rescue them too quickly from discomfort or reward them without connection to effort. The truth is, entitlement isn't bad behavior; it's a missing connection. When kids don't see the link between effort, patience, and value, appreciation can't grow.