The One Financial Skill Schools Rarely Teach – But Your Child Desperately Needs (Especially if your child is neurodivergent).
When you think of financial education, what comes to mind? Budgeting? Saving? Maybe understanding interest?
These are all important. But they’re not the most critical skill your child needs.
The skill that schools rarely (if ever) teach is this:
How to make conscious money choices that align with personal values and goals.
This skill, rooted in reflection, goal-setting, and emotional awareness, is the foundation of lifelong financial confidence.
🚫 What Schools Miss
Traditional financial education (if offered at all) usually covers:
What money is
Simple budgeting or saving
Currency and change
It rarely teaches kids to:
Think about why they’re spending
Reflect on whether a purchase fits their goals
Evaluate the emotional triggers behind spending
This is especially important for neurodivergent children (e.g. ADHD, autism, dyslexia), who may face challenges with impulse control, planning, and emotional regulation.
🧪 What the Research Says
Here’s what polling and scientific research tell us:
📊 Only 15% of people say they learned most about money from school, according to the American Bankers Association. 38% say they learned from family.
(ABA Survey)👀 Over one-third of parents (38%) are worried their kids don’t understand the value of money.
(KLOVE Report)🧩 A Brigham Young University study found that children who had hands-on financial experiences—not just lessons—were more likely to make thoughtful money decisions later in life.
(BYU Study)
💡 Why It Matters More Than Ever
Children today are:
Constantly exposed to advertising and influencers
Growing up in a world of “buy now, pay later”
Often unaware of how money choices affect their future
If they don’t learn to make conscious decisions now, they may grow up thinking:
Spending = feeling better
Saving = something you do only when forced
Giving = optional (and only if you’re rich)
✅ What You Can Do as a Parent
You don’t need to be a financial expert to teach your child this powerful skill. You just need structure and intention.
Here are 3 ways to start:
Talk about opportunity cost.
“If you spend your money on this toy today, what won’t you be able to get next week?”Help them set a goal.
“What do you want to save for in the next 4 weeks? Let’s make a plan.”Model conscious choices.
Narrate your decisions: “I’m not buying that now because I’m saving for something more important to me.”
👣 Ready to Take the Next Step?
This is exactly why I created the “Make Money Your Minions” 10-week program — to help parents teach children (especially neurodivergent learners) how to feel confident, in control, and excited about money.
💥 Inside the program, you’ll get:
Hands-on activities
Printable worksheets
Support from guest experts (ADHD coach + psychologist)
Fun tools to teach kids how to think before they spend
💬 Want to see this in action?
Join our free 5-Day Mini Money Challenge (starting 10 May) and get a sneak peek into how your child can make money their minion, not their master.
