Over the past few articles, I’ve shared a series of tips to help business owners feel more in control of their finances.

But financial confidence doesn’t start in business. It starts much earlier than that.

And one of the biggest mistakes I see? Waiting until kids are teenagers to start talking about money.

By then, many of the habits, and beliefs, are already formed.

The good news is, it doesn’t need to be complicated. In fact, the most powerful lessons are often the simplest, and they build over time.

It can start when they’re young, with something as basic as:

Spend. Save. Give.

Not as strict rules but as a way to introduce the idea that money has different purposes. As they grow, those small lessons can evolve.

Instead of just focusing on saving, we can start to teach something even more valuable:

How to make decisions with money.

• Let them choose.

• Let them weigh up options.

• Let them experience the trade-offs.

Because confidence with money doesn’t come from being told what to do,it comes from learning how to decide.

And just as importantly, it comes from what they see and hear at home.

Normalising money conversations makes a bigger difference than we often realise.

Talking openly about everyday decisions - why you chose one option over another, how you’re planning for something, or even what you’re saying “no” to - helps take the mystery and emotion out of money.

It shows them that money isn’t something to avoid or feel stressed about. It’s something to understand.

And you don’t need to create formal “lessons” to do this.

Some of the best opportunities come from real life.

• Bringing them into the weekly food shop.

• Setting a rough budget and letting them help decide what goes in the trolley.

• Comparing options - not just on price, but on value.

These are the moments that stick.

Because they’re practical.
They’re relevant.
And they build real-world skills.

Over time, those small experiences layer together. So by the time they reach their teenage years, and eventually start earning their own money, they’re not starting from scratch.

They already have a foundation. They already understand how to think about money. And they feel more confident making decisions.

So if you take one thing from this:

Don’t wait for the “right age” to start teaching money.
Start small, start young, keep it simple, and build on it as they grow.

If this resonates, share it with someone raising the next generation. These small conversations today can shape how they feel about money for years to come.

You can join the Money Maven Community, a FREE group for support, conversations & money confidence.

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