When we invest in something, we are looking to benefit from it in the future. For example, when we invest in regular oil changes for our car, we expect that the car will serve us well for many years. And when we invest time into a vegetable garden, we hope to have a bountiful harvest.

As parents, we invest in our kids’ futures every day, multiple times a day. When we tell them that eating carrots will help their night vision (kids think this is really cool), we are investing in their physical health.

When we sign them up for music and drawing lessons or send them to swimming and computer camps, we are investing in their interests…which could lead to successful careers.

And when we listen carefully to what they have to say and show that we respect their ideas, we are investing in their emotional well-being.

All of these investments help our kids grow up to be healthy – physically, intellectually, creatively, and emotionally.

The Money Connection: It’s the same with teaching kids about money. It’s an investment in their financial health.

And here’s the thing about investing in their financial futures…those weekly music lessons may not land them a career sitting as first chair violinist for the San Francisco Symphony, but you can pretty much guarantee that they WILL be managing money no matter what career they end up choosing. So small investments in their financial education is like compound interest. Over time the benefits can pay out quite nicely.