Penny Saved - Hardcover

Neale S. Godfrey is founder of the First Children's Bank.

Godfrey believes that children can and must be taught to be responsible about using money, a subject she previously visited in Money Doesn't Grow on Trees: A Parent's Guide to Raising Financially Responsible Children (S. & S., 1994). Building on that book, she here outlines practical steps parents can take to encourage their children to learn about money. Why? "Understanding what money does is the first step in understanding what it doesn't do-the first step in teaching your children not to confuse self-worth with net worth." The book is divided into three sections-preschool, school-age, and teenager-and offers a wide range of suggestions, games, and exercises for parents and children to follow in each age category. There are particularly useful discussions of such topics as goal-setting, "need vs. want," saving, and sharing, all of which underlie teaching a concept of money that will stay with children their whole lives. Most important, Godfrey believes that learning "financial responsibility" is a cornerstone for learning how to be fair in all dealings with others. With all the complaints about the absence of family values in today's society, any book that teaches positive values is to be commended. An invaluable book for families; highly recommended for all public libraries.
Richard Drezen, Washington Post News Research Ctr., Washington, D.C.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.