How do I start talking to my child about money?

Many parents grew up in families where money was never discussed, or only mentioned when something went wrong. That silence tends to pass on, even unintentionally.

The result is often a vague discomfort: the subject gets avoided out of fear of saying the wrong thing, revealing too much, or worrying the child.

A shopping basket, a bill, a choice between two expenses: these ordinary moments make the best starting points. They make money concrete instead of abstract.

Explaining a trade-off — why you chose one thing over another — is usually enough. You don't need to share income or balances to be clear.

Each age group calls for a different angle. Here are five simple starting points to adapt to your family.

• Ages 6-8: "Why does this cost more than that?"
• Ages 9-10: "If we buy this, what won't we be able to buy?"
• Ages 11-13: "How would you manage a small amount over a month?"
• Ages 14-16: "What do you think of this ad promising easy money?"
• Ages 17-20: "What would your first budget look like once you leave home?"

Turning every exchange into a moral lesson discourages future conversations. Children mostly remember the tone, not the content.

Likewise, reserving the topic for bad news — a refused purchase, a mentioned debt — links money to anxiety instead of understanding.