Every parent wants to give their kids a financial head start. But I’m not convinced that means whiteboard lessons on compound interest at age eight.

In this week’s Earn & Invest, I shared 10 things I’m teaching my children about wealth. Most of them push back against the mainstream narrative.

First, kids learn about money in three ways: didactic teaching, modeling, and experiential learning. The worst of these? Lectures.

You can explain mortgages and index funds all day long. But until a child feels the weight of a financial decision, it won’t stick. In medicine we say, “See one, do one, teach one.” Money works the same way.

So instead of lecturing, we model. My kids overheard conversations about rental properties. They watched us set up LLCs. They saw investing as something normal, not mysterious. By college, buying and renting property didn’t feel radical—it felt logical.

We also replaced weekly allowance with a $500 lump sum each January. That money had to last the year. My son ran out after breaking his phone. My daughter saved so much she skipped things she wanted. Both learned something no lecture could teach: money involves trade-offs.

I’m also wary of monetizing childhood. Kids don’t need Roth IRAs before they need curiosity and kindness. I didn’t start investing seriously until my thirties. Wealth can wait. Character can’t.

As for inheritance, I want to teach them how to fish. The ability to generate income matters more than a trust fund. The exception? College. I’ll pay for it. Crushing debt isn’t a safe learning experiment.

Above all, I want them to know money is a tool. It buys time, flexibility, dignity. It is not happiness.

Some of my best memories cost $2,000. Some expensive experiences felt empty. Joy comes from connection and meaning—not the price tag.

If my kids understand that, they’ll be just fine.

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