Teaching the value of money in this festive season

Gong Xi Fatt Chai. Today is the second day of the Lunar New Year. This is a festive season which is celebrated in most Asia countries especially in China.

This celebration marks a new year to the Chinese calendar.

During this festive celebration, the children would be the most happy as they will be receiving a red packet called ‘hong bao”. What is ‘hong bao’? This red packet contains money inside which is given during Chinese New Year, weddings, birthdays or any other auspicious events.

Why the red packet must be red? The purpose of the red packet is that the red symbolizes good luck and prosperity.

The cash amount contained is not important but the amount contained has to be in even numbers. The numbers are auspicious and odd numbers are perceived as loneliness. Usually those who are married can only give out “hong bao”. Any unmarried person is eligible regardless of age.

I believe that during this Chinese New Year it is also a good time to teach children to appreciate the meaning of our traditional values. We as parents must teach them the significant of the “hong bao” .

The amount value is not important. I have seen children open up the ‘hong bao’ and say to the parents that the amount inside is very small. It is not whether they receive $20 or even $2. Children must know the custom of receiving “hong bao” as it signifies good wishes and good fortune.

It is also a good time to teach the children to give. Teach them the joy of giving and sharing. Bring them to the orphanage or any charity homes, ask the children to use part of their “hong bao” money to buy some gifts to give and share. It makes them realize where they are and how fortunate they are to have what we have.

This Chinese New Year is a good time to teach the children that money is a valuable tool that can use to help others. By giving part of their ‘hong bao” it can make someone else happy.

We can teach the values of money to our children in any occasion. As long it is fun the children will always learn better.

Gong Xi Fatt Chai to all who celebrate this festive season. Happy collecting 'hong bao' and Happy learning.

Christina Hue

www.RealSmarTeens.com

Principles to Engage Teenager's interest in financial literacy

How the three principles that I have share the last time help you in engaging your teen’s interest in financial literacy?
Below are the other three principles that help to engage or re-engage teens in the interest of financial literacy strategies.

This principle teaches us that we must talk to the kids in the interest of their financial ideas and not ours. When trying to motivate children to learn don’t think about what you want. Think about what they want and help them get it by offering them opportunities and options.

Be prepared to relinquish power or delegate whenever possible or in other words throw the teens a challenge. For safety, you have to be careful what decisions you allow them to make and how far down the wrong path you’ll let them go before they get into trouble. But if you can stand the nerves, let them set off in the wrong directions for a while before they discover for themselves that your experience would have saved them

Be genuine and keenly interested in sharing great new financial tips with your family and when your children come to you with new ideas, return their excitement. Treat the negative experiences as learning opportunities.

I do hope that the 6 principles that I have shared will help you to create your teen’s interest in financial literacy. These principles will help you to engage your teens as our own parents weren’t able to pass their financial knowledge and skill base to us.

Please do not feel embarrassed about having holes in our own financial literacy because you’ll be learning new things from your teens as they progress through each challenge. It is my hope that this discovery with your teenagers will help you rediscover your own aspiration for financial literacy.

The important thing in learning is that you must HAVE FUN!

Till my next sharing. Have Fun

Christina
www.RealSmarTeens.com