(Guest Blog – by Jan Ruskin)

What Kids Believe

You might be surprised to know that, by the time kids graduate high school, they will probably have adopted the two following limiting beliefs:

Money can cause a lot of problems.
It’s better to give than to receive.

You might NOT be surprised, though, if either or both of these still ring true for you. 🙂

After surveying our teenage participants in this year’s financial literacy programs, we discovered that many limiting beliefs are well-ensconced in the teenage mind. And, without any kind of counter indications, they will go on to find evidence to keep these beliefs intact.

Limiting beliefs have the power to hold us back, only every time. If we think, on any level, that “money can cause problems”, then we are more likely to avoid money. If we believe that it is better to give than receive, we may continually resist receiving “too much”.

It’s not really difficult to see how we come up with these beliefs ~ indeed, how we take them on as truths.

“Money Causes A Lot Of Problems”

We Americans, especially, have grown up (and continue to grow up) in a society where MONEY is linked to some very big problems. We read about it, hear about, talk about it, and spin stories around it. Conflict and money go hand in hand in many of our top news stories, family arguments, and entertainment themes.

The thing we often forget to discern (for our kids as well as in our own minds) is that it’s not the money that causes the problem, it’s the people. Easy to leave that part out, but IMPORTANT to start putting back into the conversation.

“It’s Better To Give Than To Receive”

Who wouldn’t agree with this?! If you think about it, it’s really a set up. Who among us would admit we would rather receive than give? Imagine how we would look? Greedy? Selfish? Unfeeling? Here’s the important part: it’s not an either/or. It’s a both/and. There can NOT be giving without receiving. Giving is only giving if there’s someone to receive. See how that works?

Explore These With Your Family

Here are  some of the beliefs we are addressing with our kids. See if any of them ring true with yours. (Let us know if you want more!)

1. Money is the root of evil.
2. Getting rich takes too much work and struggle.
3. Realistically, chances are I’ll never be rich.
4. Getting rich is a matter of luck, or fate.
5. If I get a lot of money, I’ll probably lose it.
6. Money isn’t all that important.
7. It’s not right to make more money than my parents make.
8. It’s not right to have a lot of money while others have nothing.

You can see how these beliefs might keep you from making money!

Money Is Money, Beliefs Are Beliefs

We tend to make things so complicated sometimes. In our programs, we like to keep it simple. Kids (and adults) realize that limiting money beliefs are nothing more than roadblocks to success. We play around with what’s true and what’s not, and we teach the importance of ongoing education and exploration. If kids come to know money as a tool, and not an emotionally charged issue, their chance of being responsible for their lives (and doing a whole lot of good) goes up exponentially.

It’s not too late for you either! 🙂