Since the collapse of our economy in 2008, debt has become a household word. The general public is almost expected to have accrued debt over the past few years. And as the economy strengthens, sacrifices will be made and debts will be paid off. But for many, debt is not a temporary inconvenience to be sorted; for many, debt is a way of life.
In school from a young age we are taught to count, to spell, even to draw and act. But why have we forgotten to add the most important aspect of life to the curriculum- saving. It doesn’t take a complicated survey to prove that our society does not live within its means. We live in debt and in fear of our bills, and usually we don’t act until the final hour when it is often too late. If we can treat money as one of life’s necessities and start to teach our children to manage it from a young age, we will be one small step closer in our fight against poverty.
Money management has always been a lesson taught at home, but what if your home doesn’t have the lesson? Living within your means is an integral part of any responsible adult’s life. You pay your bills and you don’t spend what you don’t have. Eventually you build up a security nest from your managed savings, and with those savings you pay for both the happy and unhappy events in life. We make sure that our children can build sentences, so why not teach them to build finances as well? Adding such teachings throughout the K-12 curriculum will not end poverty, but will lead to a stronger and more secure future for our entire society.
