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.
