How to Help Your Teen Avoid the Financial Fears Millennials Have?
Now that millennials are reaching middle age and gaining some control of the economy, they’re working to prevent younger generations from facing the same bleak future they’ve had.
If you’re a millennial or know millennials, then you know or have seen the fear, depression, and anxiet`y they’ve dealt with trying to find ways to pay off debt and want to help your teen avoid these same struggles. While things like climate change, student loans, and financial education are becoming more of a priority, you might feel like it’s too little, too late. Is there any hope for your teen?
While it may seem bleak, not all hope is lost. Your child can get around many of these issues with your help. Here are a few things you can start doing today to give your teen the financial advantages they’ll need tomorrow.
Teach your children good money management skills now
Unfortunately, money management isn’t taught in many schools, so it’s up to the parents to ensure their children learn how to handle their money. Start your kid off with a joint checking account so that you can monitor their spending while giving them real-world experience managing finances.
If your teen has a job, help them set up a savings account and make it a rule that a certain percentage of every paycheck must go into savings. That way, they’ll develop a habit of saving that will help them be less impulsive with their finances and have a healthy emergency fund should they need it. It is also worth explaining to a teenager that it is worthwhile to manage your time wisely, giving time to study and work. Of course, sometimes it is difficult for a working student to maintain a balance and not to lose their progress in college, so there are student helpers such as studycrumb.com, with its help your teenager can get high marks to continue work and not spend sleepless nights at the books.
Be open to alternative options besides college
Many of us were conditioned to think that college was the only route for a better life after graduating from high school. Now that the job market has become more flexible with education requirements for white-collar or high-paying careers, some teenagers aren’t seeing the point of acquiring tens- or even hundreds-of-thousands of dollars in student loan debt. After seeing how student loans have impacted many millennials, they’re not wrong.
If your teenager is considering alternative education options like trade schools or going directly into the job market after high school to gain experience, don’t immediately reject the idea. Sit down with them and work out a list of pros and cons for each direction to see which way would best suit their unique situation. If they still want to explore their options and skip the college experience, that doesn’t mean it’s a permanent choice. Thanks to continuing education programs, remote learning, and flexible class schedules, your child can also go back to school at any time if they decide the value of a degree outweighs the debt they’ll accrue.
Be a good example for your teen
Above all, your teen will need to have a good example to follow. If you’ve had any bad money habits of your own, it’s time to start over and be a positive role model. Having a reason to clean up your finances, like teaching your kiddo, can be a great motivator. It can be difficult, but starting to work on it today will impact your financial health tomorrow. Not only that but showing your teen that you’re working on your past mistakes can make it a shared experience that makes learning money management more impactful.
The bottom line
Seeing millennials’ anxiety due to the economy can make it stressful to think about how your kid will flourish as an adult. The sooner you start helping them form good financial habits, the better equipped they’ll be to become successful, financially stable adults.
Hello! My name is Lucas, and I am the creator of ursuperb.com. I’ve been writing about technology for almost 10 years now, and I love talking about tech news, reviews, and tutorials. I’m currently living in San Francisco, CA, and I’ve been blogging professionally since 2012. I love what I do, and I really enjoy interacting with people online. I believe in creating positive change for humanity, and I try to inspire others to do the same. You can read more about me here.
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