The Bible says, “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”   Proverbs 22:6    This includes training them about money.   If you teach them right principles while they are growing up, they will live by them when they are adults.   That’s why it’s important to start including kids in the budget while they are young.   By the time they are teenagers, they should be able to participate with you as you plan the budget and pay the bills.   This gives you the opportunity to teach them principles they can apply to their lives when they are adults.    Also, it teaches them why you say “no” to some things.   They will learn to live within the family’s means and be appreciative for it.   When they get jobs and have allowances, they should establish their own budgets for their money as well as being included in the family budget.     By the time they go to college, they need to understand how to budget, save, and spend money as well as avoid debt.  

       Earlier, I said that this lesson is very near and dear to my heart.   Allow me to explain why.  When we started living by God’s principles for handling money, my Mom insisted the entire family participate in the budget.    Although she carried the main responsibility as the Chief Financial Officer, each of us knew how the budget worked and where the money was going.  When decisions or changes needed to be made, she discussed it with all of us.   She kept herself accountable to the entire family.   If we had a suggestion for a budgeting improvement, she listened to our suggestion and implemented several of them.     Every time she learned a new lesson, she shared it with us.   When she felt financial pressure, she shared that with us, too, so we could work together to get through difficult times.   From time to time she would put each of us in charge of the financial responsibility for various projects.  Perhaps my brother would be responsible for the finances for a home repair job, or I would be responsible for planning the food budget.   She wanted us to learn how to handle money God’s way. 

        Now that I am an adult, I am so grateful.    Because of her openness and accountability with the family budget, my brother and I learned valuable principles about money management.  These principles have helped us avoid many financial pitfalls and given us an invaluable blueprint for how to live our financial lives.  She trained us in the way we should go, and I am committed to not departing from it.     I’ve seen the results of living on a budget and following God’s principles for money and I am committed to following that path.   I encourage you to do the same with your children—start involving them in the family finances.  

        One last thing, I realize there are some people who refuse to participate in financial affairs.  If you are in a situation where your husband refuses to help with the finances, don’t feel guilty.   His choices are his choices.    All you can do is invite him to participate and allow him to change his mind and start helping.    Inform him about important matters that affect his everyday life.   In the meantime, start teaching your children about budgeting and handling money.   As their age and maturity allows, you can involve them in the family budget.     Keep the family budget open to everyone; after all, it is the FAMILY budget.   Next month, we’ll discuss lessons we learned while living on a budget.