Teaching Our Kids to Live Well and Do Good With Money

Long before children earn their first paycheck or open an investment account, they are already forming a relationship with money.

They notice how we spend it, how we talk about it, what we save for, and what we choose to give away. Over time, these everyday moments help shape how they think about money, not just as something to have, but as a tool for making choices.

That’s why I believe financial education should start early.

With Cameron and Maxwell, I’ve always wanted money to be something we can talk about openly and thoughtfully. Not just how much something costs, but what money can help us do, like create joy, security, and opportunity. We can also use it to help others.

Our family uses a simple framework whenever the boys receive money, whether they earn it or receive it as a gift:

Spend. Save. Invest. Give.

Our intention is to help them understand that every dollar comes with choices, and those choices can help them enjoy life today, prepare for the future and make a positive difference for someone else.

Learning to Save, One Dollar at a Time

When Cameron and Maxwell were younger, we bought them a little ATM machine for their money.

It was nothing sophisticated. They would put birthday money, holiday gifts, and anything they earned into their ATM and watch their balance grow. This made saving feel real for them.

If there was a toy or something special they wanted, they could use the money they had saved to buy it. Sometimes that meant waiting a little longer before they could have something they wanted, which was part of the lesson.

Instead of simply telling them, “You should save your money,” they began to experience what saving actually felt like. They saw that putting a little money aside over time eventually gave them the freedom to make a choice for themselves.

This is really what I want them to understand about saving: Saving isn’t about never enjoying your money. It’s about creating options.

Letting Them Choose Their First Investments

As the boys have gotten older, John and I have started introducing them to investing.

Last Christmas, we did something different. Instead of giving Cameron and Maxwell traditional Christmas presents, we gave them money to invest. But we didn’t choose the companies for them.

We asked a much simpler question: What are some things you use all the time and would have a hard time living without?

Their answers came quickly.

• Netflix, because they watch it all the time.
• Amazon, because, as they pointed out, Mommy is always buying things from there.
• Google, because they use Chrome and Google Nest and are constantly asking, “Hey Google” a question.
• And Nike, because they love Nike shoes.

Their answers gave us the perfect starting point.

I explained that investing means owning a small piece of a business. We talked about how paying attention to the products and services you use can be one way to start learning about companies. If something is part of your everyday life, chances are other people may use it too.

Of course, liking a product doesn’t automatically make the company a good investment. There’s much more that goes into making an investment decision. But for Cameron and Maxwell, starting with companies they already understood made the idea of investing much more tangible.

They chose the companies themselves, and we bought a few shares.

Now we can sit down together and look at how their investments are doing. When a stock moves up or down, it creates another opportunity to talk.

Why did it change? What’s happening with the company? What does it mean to own an investment for many years rather than a few days or months?

I actually love that they will experience some ups and downs along the way.

One of the most important things they can learn about investing is that not everything goes up all the time. Investing requires patience, discipline, and the ability to think long term. Those are useful lessons in any area of life.

Teaching Them to Give, Too

Giving is another part of our family money conversations that matters just as much to John and me. Our family believes deeply in doing good, and we want Cameron and Maxwell to grow up understanding that having more also creates an opportunity to help others.

Last year, we adopted families during the holidays, and I told the boys that part of their own money would be used to buy gifts for the children we were sponsoring.

We received wish lists from the families, and I took Cameron and Maxwell shopping, so they could help choose the gifts. We brought everything home and wrapped the presents together.

Then we attended Operation Be Kind’s annual holiday event, where the children came to receive their gifts. Cameron and Maxwell were able to meet and interact with some of the very kids they had been shopping for.

That made the experience real in a completely different way. It allowed them to see the connection between the money they had chosen to spend, the gifts they had picked out, and the happiness those gifts brought to another child. Those are the moments I hope they remember.

They may not remember every conversation John and I have with them about money. But they may remember walking through a store holding someone else’s wish list, wrapping the presents, and meeting the children who received them. We hope that over time, this helps make generosity part of how they see the world.

John and I also try to model this in our own lives by giving our time and resources to organizations and causes that matter to us. We know the boys are watching what we do, not just listening to what we say. If we want generosity to become part of who they are, they need to see it as part of how our family lives.

What We Really Want Them to Learn About Money

When John and I talk about money with Cameron and Maxwell, our goal isn’t simply to raise children who are “good with money.” We want them to understand what money can do.

• Spending can create joy and experiences.
• Saving can create security and freedom.
• Investing can create opportunity over time.
• Giving can create impact beyond yourself.

When used thoughtfully, money can support a life that reflects what matters most to you.

That is the same philosophy behind how we think about wealth at SageMint Wealth.

We believe wealth is a tool. It can help create confidence and security, support the people you love, open doors to meaningful experiences, and give you the ability to make a difference in your community.

In other words, it can help you live well and do good.

Start the Conversation While They Are Young

As we head toward the end of another year, many families will naturally be talking about gifts, holiday spending, and charitable giving. It can also be a wonderful opportunity to bring children and grandchildren into those conversations.

For example, you might:

• Let them decide what they want to save for.
• Give them a small amount of money to invest and ask them which businesses they notice in their own lives.
• Invite them to choose a cause they care about.
• Let them use some of their own money to help someone else, and whenever possible, let them participate in the giving itself.

The dollar amount matters far less than the conversation and the experience.

The earlier children understand that money involves choices, the more opportunities we have to help them build a thoughtful and healthy relationship with it.

John and I certainly don’t have this all figured out. Cameron and Maxwell are still young, and I know these conversations will continue to evolve as they grow.

But my hope is that someday, when they’re making financial decisions on their own, they’ll remember the lessons we started teaching them around our kitchen table.

Enjoy what you have.

Save for what matters.

Invest in your future.

And always leave room to give back.

That, to me, is what it means to teach the next generation to Live Well. Do Good.

If this approach resonates with you, we’d love to help you put it into practice. Reach out to start the conversation.