Yusra3
VIP Contributor
AI content warning
You notice signs of financial anxiety brewing for your adolescent. Reluctance around summer job searches. Hesitation when gifted money for birthdays. Tension when discussing looming college costs. Addressing the fears fueling avoidance around money matters helps build essential confidence before adult independence.
Create Safe Space
Don’t prod about observed money avoidance without first creating an environment for vulnerable sharing. Make time for one-on-one connection while conveying your non-judgemental presence to discuss anything on their mind, money and otherwise. Patience and compassion are prerequisites for breakthroughs here.
Ask Open Ended Questions
If finances feel taboo, ease into potential pain points through open dialogue. Ask about general feelings regarding money rather than demanding to see account balances. Queries like “What comes up for you when thinking about budgeting?” uncover threads to unravel gentler than “Let’s see your spending.”
Unpack Their “Why”
Listen closely for emotional drivers behind voiced money worries without automatically resolving them. Empathetically ask “Help me understand why debt makes you anxious” or “What do you feel causes you to avoid investing conversations?” Creating space for self-reflection bears more fruit than offering fix-its.
Share Your Struggles
Relieve pressure by opening up about your own financial fears from their age. Talk about mistakes that taught you lessons they may face like learning restraint with credit cards or possessions that felt “necessary” at the time but in retrospect proved frivolous. Vulnerability builds connection.
Money maturity doesn’t automatically come with age. Facilitating financially confident kids as they approach independence means creating safe spaces free of judgement to unpack deep-seated money hang ups. Moving from avoidance to empowerment requires compassion, patience and understanding from you before prescribing advice.
Create Safe Space
Don’t prod about observed money avoidance without first creating an environment for vulnerable sharing. Make time for one-on-one connection while conveying your non-judgemental presence to discuss anything on their mind, money and otherwise. Patience and compassion are prerequisites for breakthroughs here.
Ask Open Ended Questions
If finances feel taboo, ease into potential pain points through open dialogue. Ask about general feelings regarding money rather than demanding to see account balances. Queries like “What comes up for you when thinking about budgeting?” uncover threads to unravel gentler than “Let’s see your spending.”
Unpack Their “Why”
Listen closely for emotional drivers behind voiced money worries without automatically resolving them. Empathetically ask “Help me understand why debt makes you anxious” or “What do you feel causes you to avoid investing conversations?” Creating space for self-reflection bears more fruit than offering fix-its.
Share Your Struggles
Relieve pressure by opening up about your own financial fears from their age. Talk about mistakes that taught you lessons they may face like learning restraint with credit cards or possessions that felt “necessary” at the time but in retrospect proved frivolous. Vulnerability builds connection.
Money maturity doesn’t automatically come with age. Facilitating financially confident kids as they approach independence means creating safe spaces free of judgement to unpack deep-seated money hang ups. Moving from avoidance to empowerment requires compassion, patience and understanding from you before prescribing advice.
