Yahweh’s Money®️: The Crossroads of Religion & Money

Financial Foundations: Raising Money-Smart Kids

• Shay Cook & Vanessa McNelley • Season 3 • Episode 61

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What if the key to your child’s future financial success starts with their first allowance? Join Shay and Vanessa as they uncover the powerful ways parents can nurture financial literacy in their children right from the start. Drawing from personal experiences and timeless wisdom like Proverbs 22:6, they discuss how early lessons in money management can set kids on a path to becoming confident and responsible financial stewards.

Remember saving up for that must-have item in your youth? We take you on a nostalgic journey through childhood work experiences and the invaluable lessons they impart. Whether it’s babysitting, mowing lawns, or saving for a cherished Mickey Mouse Club jacket, we reveal how these early jobs teach kids about the value of hard work, setting financial goals, and the emotional highs and lows that come with them. We also emphasize the importance of parents modeling good financial behavior—because kids are always watching and learning.

We also discuss making financial education fun by exploring engaging ways to teach kids about money, from vacation planning and charitable giving to entrepreneurial activities like lemonade stands. These practical experiences not only educate but also create lasting memories. By involving children in financial discussions and decision-making, we equip them to feel valued and prepared for financial independence. Tune in and gather the tools you need to raise money-smart kids who appreciate the value of hard work and responsible money management.

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Our podcast is proudly sponsored by Crusaders for Change, LLC (C4C) and hosted by our CEO and Founder, Mrs. Shay Cook. At C4C, we provide customized corporate financial wellness programs for businesses, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations. Our services are tailored to create happier, healthier, and more productive work environments. We also empower individuals and couples to overcome debt, improve their credit, boost savings, and more. Ready to learn more about how C4C can impact your life? Contact us today at https://www.crusaders4change.org/!

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Shay:

Ever felt those awkward vibes when religion and money come up? You're not alone. Welcome to Yahweh's Money, the podcast where we tackle the crossroads of faith and finance. I'm Shay Cook, an Accredited Financial Counselor, and the CEO and founder of Crusaders for Change, LLC.

Vanessa:

And I'm Vanessa McNelley, Accredited Financial Counselor and COO of Crusaders for Change. Join us on our journey as we discuss topics like tithing saving and conquering debt through religious perspectives. Let's get started.

Shay:

Hey everyone, welcome back to another episode of Yahweh's Money. How you doing, Vanessa? I'm good, I'm good, I'm excited to talk about raising money smart kids, because we all need to play a part in financial, personal finances and education for our children, right?

Shay:

So I mean we all have a part. So today we're going to be talking about nurturing financial literacy from the very start. There is an often overlooked aspect of parenting I would say very often teaching children to be financially responsible from a young age. We should be empowering kids with the financial knowledge to set them up for a lifetime of smart money management. So today we're going to offer tips and insights on cultivating financial awareness and responsibility in your children, or children that are in your life, ensuring they grow into confident stewards of their financial futures. So Proverbs 22:6 states "tart children off the way they should go, and even when they're old, they will not turn from it. So yay, I mean, yeah, I can't say it any better.

Shay:

That's a great verse.

Vanessa:

It is such a great verse and it's, you know, like you said. It's something that we all play a part in. I know you have a daughter. I don't have children, but it's going to be fun to see our different perspectives on this too, I think.

Shay:

Yeah, exactly, you know. The scripture notes add on to Proverbs 22 states that many parents want to make all choices for their children but this hurts them in the long run, and I hear that a lot from my husband because I'm a helicopter parent or were.

Shay:

So when parents teach a child how to make decisions, they don't have to watch every step they take. They know their children will remain on the right path because they have made the choices themselves. So train your children to choose the right way, and then, when you're not here or when you're not with them, they know which way to go. So I think that was a great. I love that scripture.

Vanessa:

Yeah Well, and it kind of sums things up too, and that's something you know when I work with clients, and I know you too, it's one of those conversations you have with parents who just can't, you know, not do things for their kids or pay for things.

Vanessa:

Or you know, they they overgive to their children because they want their kids to have the very best, and the heart is there and you know, the reason is there and I totally understand that, but the reality of it is is when you set expectations for kids when they're young and you teach them how to be responsible with their money, you know one day you're not going to be there. I mean hopefully. You know parents pass before children. It's supposed to happen that way, so they're supposed to pass down that wisdom to their children so that they know what they're supposed to do, and then those kids pass it down to their children.

Vanessa:

So, it's something, it's a legacy that you can leave and you can teach your children, you know something, versus just giving to your kids, and that means so much more, so much more. And where does this all start? And you know, one thing that parents can do is give their kids an allowance. I don't know if you ever had one, shay, when you were growing up.

Shay:

No, not really yeah.

Vanessa:

I grew up in a house we did not have an allowance, um, but I will tell you, I was in, I think it was like third grade All my friends got an allowance. I begged and begged my mother for an allowance. So she was like, okay, if you want an allowance, I will give you an allowance, but you pay for everything you want out of that allowance too. And I was super excited because I had never had an allowance before. So she gives me $5 a week and out of that $5, I had to pay for my school lunches. I had to do anything extra that I wanted to do and I think lunches back then you know this is of course dating me was like 75 cents a day. So I really had nothing left over and we did this for a week. And then she said would you still like to have an allowance? And I said, no, ma'am.

Shay:

I think it just took a week. Yeah, yeah, that's awesome. I love that.

Vanessa:

But you know, giving your kids a hands-on experience with money whether it's an allowance or not that is a priceless gift to give your children, Absolutely priceless, and I'm sure you did this with your daughter growing up.

Shay:

Oh, I did. From three years old I was teaching her about money and this is way before I even knew I was going to be doing any of what I'm doing now, and I just wanted her because I just felt like I learned nothing growing. I let me take that back, lord forgive me. I learned a lot growing up. I learned a lot of what not to do and we didn't have allowances because I think I was pretty, I don't know, I don't know. I just had that intuition or intelligence or whatever. I just knew, like seeing my friends, like you experienced it with the week of doing that with your mom that I didn't want no allowance because that would cut back a significant amount of stuff that I would be able to get.

Shay:

And plus, I started working at 13. And even before I had an official job on the books at 13, 14, I was like dusting people's houses at nine and 10, making money and doing all kinds and babysitting, and so I've been making money for a very long time. So I knew that my parents would. If I needed something, they would. If they had the money, they would give it to me and a lot of times they didn't have to figure it out on my own, so I learned that earlier on, but with my child I didn't. I when Alana was coming up, she was born in 2000, they was all.

Vanessa:

There was a lot of reporting out there saying that allowances were bad for children, and you remember that and so I was like you shouldn't do that.

Shay:

It's teaching them the wrong way, they need to worry and all that. So we didn't really do that, but we did. When she went to high school, we paid her up to a hundred dollars per a, um for per a. Yeah't ever get the full $100. She never got the full amount because she wouldn't make really great grades.

Shay:

But just to try to motivate her to stay in school and not stay she was going to be in school but to motivate her to get better grades, because my daughter was so smart but she didn't put the effort in, so we had that. But, yeah, teaching her from three or four or five in the commissary, having her have a little book and she write down the cost of everything, and teaching her about what am I using an ATM or a credit card, like every time she was around me and I was using money, I was teaching at the same time.

Vanessa:

Yeah, and that's priceless, absolutely, absolutely.

Vanessa:

I can remember going with my grandparents to the bank at the first of the month, every month when I was same thing, three, four years old, and they would take out all the money they needed for the month, and then we would go home and we'd sit at the table and they did the envelope system and everything went into envelopes and I saw them, you know, throughout the month taking the envelopes out, using that money for what it was intended for and then looking at the end of the month to see if they still needed to get, you know, more money out for X, Y, z, whatever it was, because they would just pull less out the next month and they would show me that's how you grow a savings is by spending less than you make, less than you make.

Vanessa:

So I had these amazing examples growing up to teach me that you know you save for what you want. You don't buy it until you can afford it. It's okay to not have it, that sometimes we have to do without and it's okay. Sometimes we can't have exactly what we want, but we can have something similar that's just as good, and we can use what we have to impact the world around us too, and that's way more priceless than than, you know, buying an outfit or, you know, going on an expensive vacation. So these are things that I was taught as a kid and I always thought if I had children, I would definitely start from day one having them understand. You know that money is a gift and there's so many things we can do with that gift to make humanity better.

Shay:

Exactly. That's awesome, that's awesome.

Vanessa:

And you're still teaching.

Shay:

Through many. You've had stepchildren and your cousins and friends and family. So there's always, even if you don't have your own biological kid, there's kids in your life that you should be teaching your parents too I mean most kids, especially when they become teenagers. They don't want anything to do with their parents.

Vanessa:

They don't they don't listen to us. But you know I have a 16 year old niece and I can be the cool aunt who also shows her that it's okay to save. And you know you can't have everything you want every day because mom and dad are buying and that's going to end real soon. So you can always be that example in other areas as well. A hundred percent agree with you, but you know we should always be teaching children financial decision making, and that's something that you know. I was fortunate as well growing up with the ability to make some decisions with money or learn the processes of making decisions, because it was always. It's okay if you like nice things, but you can't have everything.

Vanessa:

You know, you have to make choices and when you decide what you want and that's what you stick with sorry, it's gone and they wouldn't give in at that point, which was a good thing. So you know, there were all these things that were taught, and I'm sure you did that with Alana too.

Shay:

I did. I, you know. I taught her about savings because it always go back to me. Nobody taught me to you know well, shay, you're making this money through all the jobs I've had since 13, 14, even before that to put some money aside for something, cause I remember I don't know where I was working, it might've been Hardee's or whatever had a lot of jobs and it was in high school, maybe my last year of high school and I saved like $400, which was really cool back then. That's a lot of money back then to me especially if you're like 17, 18.

Shay:

I spent all of my money in one shopping trip at Columbia Mall like nothing but clothes and shoes, and when I think back to it I'm like whoa, that was so stupid. But you know, nobody taught me to put 10% aside. Or you know you're going to go to school for the rest of the year. You know you're going to want food. You want money for special events or entertainment or whatever.

Shay:

So that's what I was teaching Alana Like, yeah, you might want to buy clothes for the upcoming year, whether it's high school, college, whatever but you also want to do other activities, so you should. You want to go to a football game, you want to whatever, whatever game, you want to whatever, whatever, and so you should be putting money inside for that and saving. And of course, you know giving and we're going to talk about that a little later but you know, yeah, I taught her that, but nobody taught me that. So I had, I was self-taught basically.

Vanessa:

Well, at least you learned that's the good part you learned and then you were able to pass it on too. I remember and I think a lot of this too. People think this is like a hard lesson and it's boring and all these things, but it can be really fun to teach kids about money and financial decision making. We used to play this game in the car. When we would go places, my mom would give me a notebook and like a pencil and she would say, okay, somebody just gave you a thousand dollars, spend it, you know. And we would sit and we would talk about what we could buy for that amount and what we could do and you know how much it would cost for this. And it was all about like doing something for ourselves but also doing something for others. Or you know how much a house would cost, and if we wanted to buy a house for you know my grandparents and you know sometimes it would be small amounts.

Vanessa:

And then sometimes it was we won the lottery, but you have to spend it all by tomorrow.

Vanessa:

You know, and it's fun to see the prices of things and the costs of things and to learn that you know I can either have three smaller houses for all of my family or buy this one mansion if I won the lottery. So it teaches kids that you know things do cost different prices. All houses are not the same price, which a lot of you know. Kids don't know that. They don't understand that. So it's fun to teach these things and for them to to start understanding, because then you see it click with them and you know you had a hand in that.

Shay:

Yeah, that's really cool.

Vanessa:

Really cool, yeah, and then we can help them understand the true value of money and the effort that it takes to get the money.

Shay:

Yeah, there's a lot of effort that goes into it and it's just not overnight you're going to be a millionaire and it's like a lot of hard work goes into whatever you're trying to accomplish in life. But even learning about personal finances, you're not going to learn about it in a day.

Vanessa:

It's going to take you a few months, years time, you know to learn about it, and that's okay and just gotta be patient, yeah, right, and you can show kids or give them money and say this is what you get for the week, but they don't understand what you have to do to get that money and how long it takes you to work for that money until that's taught to them.

Vanessa:

Yeah, they do not understand the value of $100 or the value of $500 or the value of $2. It's just, mom gives me this money and I'm going to go spend it and do what I want, because there's always more of it for a lot of kids and a lot of houses. But if they understood what it took for you to get there and that you have other priorities by paying your mortgage and paying for the car and gas to get them to school, that those things have to be taken care of first and that's the true value of things and you can have this, but you can't have that because we can't afford it. Those are priceless lessons to teach kids.

Shay:

And you can start at very, very young ages, very young ages, and that's why allowances should be, I think, after, in the early 2000s, like it's bad for kids, but then later on it's like it's not. As long as you attach it to something, it shouldn't just be given. You know you're already having your basic needs taken care of, and most, not most, in a lot of households some households there aren't. But you should be doing some kind of chores or you know working, going to work and do an extra chore in a yard, go washing the car. Something should be attached to it. It shouldn't just be an automatic give allowance but no, you're going to make good grades, you're going to do this, you're going to do that, and that makes makes you have to earn it. That's what I'm trying to say Exactly.

Shay:

And I think that's something that that they were saying back then too is money shouldn't just be given they?

Vanessa:

need to understand what it takes to get that money. I know when I was little my mom had a steakhouse and she would pay me for going in the back and wrapping baked potatoes. That's when they would. You'd go in the back, you would get these big trays of potatoes that had just been washed and you would wrap them in foil and she'd pay me a penny a potato, oh my God. And I would sit back there for hours wrapping potatoes, wrapping potatoes, because, honestly, any potatoes pretty good back then, you know, for wrapping these things. But you know I got excited because I was making money that I could use on fun things.

Vanessa:

And I mean gosh, I was four and five years old doing this. You know child labor laws, but you know it was. It was one of those things I was proud of myself for working and earning. And kids, they, they want that. They want to feel important and useful. And this is another way to do that with them, exactly, yeah. And then we can learn goal setting with our children and teach them that we can show them that if there's something that we want, we have to work our way up to it and earn and save. And it teaches kids patience, it teaches them about delayed gratification and it shows them that you know the value of that item has to be worth it to them for that. You know, is there anything you saved up for that was really big when you were younger?

Shay:

The clothes. It was always about how you look back in the day. You know you're growing up. You just got to show out, you got to look good. You know I grew up like the being in Germany during the big rise of hip hop. It was funny like they like saved these 80s, but even then, like the 80s, 90s hip hop was huge for us and so we were trying to look like.

Shay:

Then, like the 80s, 90s, hip-hop was huge for us and so we were trying to look like and it was funny, I didn't realize it until recently we were trying to look like all the people from so, so deaf and freaking Atlanta, right, so we had. We had the boots, we had my people, oh my god, your people. Man crisscross me and all that. I mean all that. We were wearing, all that, the cross colors, like we were wearing pants backwards we had the high-tech boots, like we did it all.

Shay:

So I was saving for the jerseys, I was saving for the starter jackets, like that's what I was saving for, and it's funny because I was saving for it and buying my own. My mom was buying it for my brother, which I was like I didn't understand that, but uh, yes, that was the thing.

Shay:

That is exactly my life, I get it so that's why it was always about the clothes when I was growing up, cause I wasn't. You know, you're in Germany, you don't really drive, you just took the train everywhere walk everywhere, yeah, and when I got back here I mean, yeah, so it was about food and clothes and entertainment going to movies, going bowling, going skating Like I was saving for all, or that's what I was using the money for. I wasn't saving nothing, or that's what I was using the money for I wasn't saving nothing, I was just using the money for that stuff and then later I was like, oh, I need a lot of safe.

Vanessa:

So yeah, yeah, yeah, I was so dorky back then. Like I was so dorky, I mean I'm still dorky now. But whatever.

Vanessa:

So I I worked since I was 11 as well, and you know I babysat and I did all this stuff.

Vanessa:

But I got my first job when I was able to get my work permit at 15, you know that was the thing.

Vanessa:

But before that I worked for my parents too, cause they had businesses, and you know I would tear tickets at the movie theater and I would, you know, sell popcorn and I would do those kinds of I would clean the theater or the bathrooms, that kind of thing. But in my house that was what provided for us, so you didn't get paid because it was taking care of us and we were part of the family, and you know it was not something that I should get paid for, because it's paying for all these other things which I totally understood. But that's something too is to let kids be a part of that process too as well, to see that. You know it takes a lot of effort to to pay your bills at home. But when I was 13, I was a huge dork and I was really into the Mickey Mouse Club and they all were these super cool like Letterman jackets, yeah, and I really wanted one, and the only place you could get them back then was actually going to I think it was the Grand Floridian Resort.

Shay:

Oh, wow In.

Vanessa:

Walt Disney World.

Shay:

Yeah.

Vanessa:

And we were going to disney like that next year and I saved up. It was like almost 400 for this jacket, that's still a lot of money today it was a ton of money.

Vanessa:

It was a ton of money and I saved and I saved and I saved and I babysat and I cleaned and I did all. I would clean rental houses that my parents had like for extra money back then too. Whatever I need to do do, I was going to do. It Bought this jacket. I was so proud of this thing, and then I wear it to school the first day and I get made fun of and I don't ever wear it again.

Shay:

Are you serious? That's crazy.

Vanessa:

Was this the time that Justin Timberlake, christy Aguilera and Britney Spears weren't they all in the Mickey jacket? They were, yes, they were. It was their first year in.

Shay:

Oh, wow, because you're giving me Christina Aguilera vibes right now with the color.

Vanessa:

So I was like I see that with that.

Shay:

She's gorgeous, You're gorgeous, oh my God. But oh my God, they made fun of you with a $400 jacket.

Vanessa:

They made fun of me.

Shay:

That's crazy. I mean, it was like can you afford a $400 jacket? I don't think so, so go wear.

Vanessa:

But I was, oh, I was so sad and I think that thing literally was in my closet until then, and now my boyfriend's trying to sell it for me on eBay.

Shay:

Oh, hopefully you can make a lot of money off of that jacket.

Vanessa:

Well, it's been on there for a long time with nothing, so nobody. I guess everybody's making fun of my jacket, but hey, that's cool. But you know, it taught me to save for things that I really wanted. And it was exciting to go and spend my money and buy this thing I really wanted.

Shay:

Yeah.

Vanessa:

That's really cool I love that story.

Shay:

You know, I hate that you end up getting made fun of but hey it taught you something right.

Shay:

You know, and I mean lead it by example, I mean going to that model in that financial behavior. You know budgeting, saving and avoiding death. You know teaching your kids that is important, you know. But they need to see us parents, you parent, to figures, whoever adults period budgeting we need.

Shay:

I mean, I always say this we need to make talking about money fighting sexy, because I'm so sick of people be like I can't tell you how much I made. Uh, I'm too scared I got shame or I got guilt. I know all that's real. But like, push it to a side and be like, yes, I don't budget, how do I budget? Or, yes, I do budget and this is what I love. I don't save. Yes, I need to learn how to say, oh, I do know how to save. Like, let me teach you this man, I got a lot of debt and I need some help. Call Crusaders for Change. Or, yeah, I don't have any debt because I was sacrificing. I saw something I wanted. It took me a year, two years, it took me 10 years to go to Hawaii, but I saved for it, you know. So, like, trying to teach these and model that as financial behavior is key. I mean modeling just good behavior period is great, but also financial behavior. Right right modeling just good behavior period is great, but also financial behavior right, right.

Vanessa:

And they say with kids, 80 of what they learn is what they see and 20 is what they what they're taught. So if you're not doing it in your household and you know other adults around them are not doing it, they're not going to learn it. Even if they see it, they're not going to know the importance of it unless you're doing it too exactly so if you want your children to be financially responsible, you have to be responsible as well.

Shay:

Exactly and discuss real life expenses. Don't keep this stuff on lock. People explain groceries, utilities, housing to them. Sit them down Like I know my daughter finally got like a real, real reality when she my husband's like oh, you've been out of college six months, you need to pay rent. So I wrote down in her at least agreement like all the bills that we pay for. And she's like whoa, I'm like, yeah, but I kind of I've throughout the years I've told her, yeah, that's how much insurance costs is how much gross. She knew how much grocery costs because she was figuring out how much it cost when she was a little girl. So, seeing how much it comes for the car and all these, the college, you know like don't hold this stuff back. I don't know why people do that. Like tell people the reality like this is expensive.

Vanessa:

Yeah, and you wonder why. You know kids become, you know, young adults and they're delusional about their expectations. You know, because they don't understand that you're not going to get your first job and make you know, $400,000 a year, like that's just probably not going to happen. I'm sure some people do, but that's not the reality for most people and you know and I read something recently that young people now are saying to be comfortable in life they need like 286,000 per year as a salary.

Shay:

I don't know. I only know like one or two people that make that.

Vanessa:

So like, really that's not how it works the average person in America makes less than 60.

Shay:

I think they make 30.

Vanessa:

Exactly Something like that Exactly, so they don't understand what salaries are number one compared to what our needs are and what things cost.

Vanessa:

So that's all important to teach too, because that will help them make a career choice based off of you know what they can afford. Or they know ahead of time that I'm not going to make a lot of money, so I need to have you know lower expectations for what I can afford. Or you know it's okay because it's something I love. And people are all the time we are so willing to to give up something for something we want, and that's perfectly fine. But as long as you know and you can show them this is what life will be like, and it's perfectly okay and fine if that's what you want, but just know what it's really going to be like what it's going to really be like exactly and, like vanessa said earlier, her parents I think you said your grandparents, or somebody took you to the bank, right, my grandparents, yeah.

Shay:

So take them to the bank, teach them about savings, checking, interest. I give my parents that well, and I think it was because they had to. So when I got my first job working for the military and it was a summer hire program my dad had to take me to the local credit union or whatever in germany and open up an account. But, um, yeah, they should, you should. And I opened up an account I think a lot of before she was even born, or right when she was born, like, and started saving for her. And I always say that, shoot my dog.

Shay:

Before I even got a dog, we had a savings named titan. Before we even knew we had a Titan. So like that's how you need to teach your kids about the banking, because they're going to need bank accounts. And now you got to add on to that all of the I was just hearing about it all, like the cash app and Venmo there's a name for personal pay, something systems, like there's a lot more. We got to be teaching our kids. And now you got Zelle and oh my God, it's a list of so long. So teaching them about all of that is key and tell them how you use it, like this is how I use a credit card, my savings, my checking, this is interest. This is, you know, all that good stuff.

Vanessa:

It's so important and and I know certain things are not being used anymore, but they at least need to know that they're around, so they know that there are other options out there too, and know which options are the best for them and what they're going to be doing and how to utilize the most from them. And you know what they can get, as you know interest rates for different savings accounts that you know they can actually make money with money sitting there.

Vanessa:

I mean that's the coolest thing ever, right? Just like let your money sit there and you get money for it. So there's all kinds of things we can teach our kids and let them be a part of, and I think it makes them feel more a member of the family. They feel valued as well, because you know they're really being talked to as an adult with these things and trusted with this information, and it can really help with that bond too.

Shay:

It really can. And just like you're saying, showing them the value of comparison shopping, whether it's store brand versus name brand, or this bank offers this interest rate and this bank or credit union offers this, or whatever it may be, you know, don't go with your first options. Always say, or at least make sure you do enough research before you make your decision. So you might go with your first option, but it's after you've looked at many other other options. Done that, comparison shopping and being able to save on a store brand versus a name brand is key, like you know, even with medicine. Other day I was, yesterday I was in wegmans looking for some iron for alana and alana's like give me nature's made iron. They didn't have that, but they had. Wegmans had their brand of iron and she's like that's exactly the same thing, exactly so. So you know, look at the ingredients.

Vanessa:

A lot of times now even the the stores be like compared to you know same ingredients cheaper, buy the cheaper one yeah, well, and then think about the money you saved yeah you can use that for or save it for, or you know, maybe you couldn't afford all the groceries that you needed for the household, but if you do buy the off brands, you can get everything exactly plus something fun for the you know. So there's all kinds of ways you can teach your kids to be mindful, and I think that's what this just comes down to is to be educated and be mindful. How can we do this as a family? That's a big thing too, like what are some things we can do as a family to kind of make it fun?

Vanessa:

I know a lot of families they like to set a family savings goal and they plan something together, they talk about it, they come up with an idea and as a family, they start saving, and I think it's a great way to show your kids you know that you can have this, but we have to make sacrifices along the way to get what we want, you know. And then they're a part of it too and they get excited. And then sometimes kids are happy to give up you know, mcdonald's after school because they can put that money towards the trip to Disney World in two years or whatever. That is on a decision like that and there's something amazing at the end waiting for them. They're going to learn at an early age that yeah, I can do this, I can give up certain things because I really want something else even more, and it really shows them that they have this power inside of them and it's all up to them.

Shay:

That is so true. My daughter has always been involved in our, from the time that she was young. Our, our vacation, our family vacation, starting with disney world, or even before that, just local trips or whatever we were doing. And so now she's 23 and she's preparing to uh, planning for her. She uh parks, uh with our, with my nieces and nephews, with our cousins. So she's been bugging me like every other day because she's planning, and so she was talking to her cousins during texting with them. She's like mom, they don't. Or she calls me mother, mother, they don't understand the cost of of anything she's like.

Shay:

These kids don't get it because she's she's telling them. Like the cost of the tickets, we can use the military discounts the cost of the food and parking. And one of the her cousins you met, Layla, was like we can just not eat for the day.

Shay:

It's like just trying to save some money Because they don't understand. Like no, we got to eat y'all. We're going to be in this park for 8 to 12 hours, so we're going to have to budget that in. So Alana's put together a budget. She's supposed to be it to her fan her vacation with her cousins and future partner and friends and so, yeah, it's very important to do it.

Vanessa:

That's amazing to see because you do pass that down, and then at some point you can totally pass it down to her and she can be the planner and you just show up, just show up?

Shay:

oh, that's exactly. And then she paid for it too, girl.

Vanessa:

Exactly, Exactly. We used to do this, this thing, in the summer. So we would go to the beach a lot during the summer growing up, and because my parents were self-employed, we would have afterschool programs and summer programs want to come to the movie theater, you know, during breaks and they would come and watch whatever movie was playing. And they would do and watch whatever movie was playing and my parents would do the special little deal for them. So that was the money we would use for vacations. It was extra money, it was money that we worked for.

Vanessa:

But I remember having to get up early in the morning. I mean I was probably gosh like seven, eight, nine, and I would have to go pop popcorn and make little bags of popcorn for these other kids that got to come to the movies, you know, and I would make drinks and I would get everything set up so that when they came through they just grabbed and would go. But it was worth it because we all worked as a team to get to go on this trip and it was a lot of fun, you know, to do that with my parents growing up. So I think you can make really good memories as a kid too, with all these things and it really gives you something to remember later on. You know something else that I was taught young is charitable giving and you can donate your time together as a family, encourage tithing, and a lot of kids get really excited about this, about being able to help someone else.

Shay:

Yeah, I remember, because we grew up in a Catholic church, so of course you know it's an hour of boring church.

Vanessa:

lord, forgive me but I don't know if catholic churches are like that anymore.

Shay:

But yeah, we would have, like you, got to make sure you have your money to put in the tithing you know the little tin coming around but yeah, um, but yeah. It's definitely teaching my child that you know you need to donate to. You know god and your church and others and yourself as well, um, but in that order. It's important and can be fun as well exactly I remember going.

Vanessa:

I went to church with my grandparents and every um every year all the members of the church would get this little box that had these little envelopes in it and it would have their name on it and it was for tithing throughout the year. So you had your tithing envelopes and I remember I would gosh. I was little. I remember one year my grandparents made sure I got my own box of little envelopes and I cannot tell you how excited I was to have this silly little box of envelopes yeah, I used to get them from some of my churches, yeah, and.

Vanessa:

I was so excited because I felt like a grownup because I got to fill out my little envelope and I got to put my money in it and I got to put it in the offering plate on Sundays and it made me feel like so good doing something for someone else. And I was proudly giving up other things. You know like my grandpa would take me to get gummies once a week on Wednesdays and I, you know I'd save some of that gummy money and I would put that in my tithing envelope. But I was happy to do that because I knew it was helping somebody else. So I think, kids, they get a lot out of this and it really teaches them to be good people when it comes down to it, you know, and then you can also play some financial games. That's a fun thing too. I mean, just like the game I brought up earlier about my mom saying this is how much money we have now spend it. You know, really, show kids, this is what you can do with what you have. It can be so fun.

Vanessa:

So, fun to have those conversations and to see you know their, their minds working and really kind of going through things and being like, well, I wouldn't have done it that way, but hey, if that's the way you want to do it, that's amazing.

Vanessa:

You know it works, but they can get creative. So, yeah, play games with them and teach them these things, and you can always encourage entrepreneurship. You know, if they really want something, help them start a lemonade stand. You know, show them how to create some flyers so they can cut grass around the neighborhood. You know, teach them a skill set so that they know what they're doing and they can get out there and market their services.

Vanessa:

I know my cousin has five kids and they go to this Christian camp every year but they have their children pay for half the camp and their kids come up with a way to make the money. And the last four or five years, the girls have done bread baking and they advertise on Facebook and they bake bread and it's amazing bread, by the way and they sell these loaves of bread and it pays for their camp. Oh, I love that, yeah, yeah, and it's something that we get excited about because it's so good, but it's also something that teaches them a skill and teaches them how to you know to be a business owner and how to you know talk to people and how to make change and to sell, and it teaches all these skills, but in the cell.

Shay:

And it teaches all these skills, but they're learning so much and they're gaining this time with their family too. I love that. On our neighborhood app they a lot of people went during the summer or when the college is giving a kid graduates college. You're like my kid's looking for work or whether it's doing the grass or you need some. You know people who make up or hair. You know all these different walk. Your dog is a big one, you know, so our pets sit um, so there's, you know. It's cool that the parents I mean she should be the kids on them apps doing that agree, but the parents are like I need to find this guy or this girl or whoever them something uh to do during the summer but also make some money.

Shay:

So I love that the parents are pushing that out through the apps, social media and stuff like that trying or you see the flyers around the neighborhood, so that's really awesome. So there's always a kid trying to cut grass or bait food and walk a dog, right, oh, man. Well, any final thoughts? That was amazing. It was a longer episode, but because we want to talk about these kiddos, man, it's a lot to talk about.

Vanessa:

There's so much. I would just say you know wherever you are in life and if you have kids or not, just be an example, because they're watching yeah, got it and that's what he wants us to be an example and follow the golden rule and treat others as they should.

Shay:

You want to be treated and yeah, and you want your kids to succeed. You should be trying to do whatever you need to do. They can make them succeed but, lead by example.

Shay:

So all right. Well, thank you for joining us for another episode. I hope all is well and we'll see you soon. A big thank you for listening to this episode. We hope you found today's chat about the intersection of religion and money insightful. We would love to hear your feedback. Hit that subscribe button or follow the podcast and please feel free to leave us a review.

Vanessa:

Yes, and for the latest Yahweh's Money content, visit us at Crusaders4change. org or find us anywhere you listen to podcasts. Until next time, stay financially fit and spiritually inspired.

Shay:

And remember it's always better Yahweh's way.

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Shay Cook

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