Creating money-savvy children

I hope we’re not creating a child who gets overly excited about money, but my husband and I have recently let Sam put our loose change into his piggy bank himself. The saving part is something my in-laws actually started, handing us a big plastic bag of stray nickels, dimes and pennies every time we saw them.

Years ago, the gesture didn’t mean much, but now my almost-three year old exclaims “Money, money” whenever we show him the shiny stuff.

Here’s a web site to help parents teach their pre-kindergarteners how to recognize each coin. And, while you’re at it, go ahead and set up a savings account for junior and watch it grow. Most banks offer no-interest accounts for children and some, including our local Umpqua Bank, go into local schools armed with pass books ready to teach students to start saving their coins early.