Not Your Parent’s Money Book
A Review by Eric Hammer
Not Your Parent’s Money Book, by Dean Chatzky
and Erwin Haya - Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing 2010
The thing about money books is that they're usually written
for adults -- after all, as adults, we're the ones who need to
worry about making money and spending it right? Not so says "Not
Your Parent's Money Book" by Dean Chatzky and Erwin Haya.
This is a book written for children to help them to understand
the money concepts that their parents often throw around.
Written to Address Kids Problems
Lest you think that Not Your Parent's Money Book is written
in a lecture like way, realize that this is a book aimed directly
at kids. It discusses both typical teenage problems and money
issues so that kids can make sensible use of the money they get
as allowance or as payment from working at an after school or
summer job. The book also discusses what's involved in working,
paying taxes and saving money so that kids are prepared for life
lessons that they'll need in the future.
Also Covers Adult Topics
In addition to being written in a style that makes kids actually
enjoy learning about money, the book is also designed to give
kids the maximum benefit of a money book by showing them concepts
that they may have heard of and explaining them in plain English
in a way that kids can actually understand. The book covers such
topics as unemployment, recessions and dealing with debt.
In fact, an entire section of the book is devoted to discussing
things like credit cards and the problems that they may cause
for some people. It's the sort of guide to the adult world of
money that kids actually need to read when they are kids and
not when they're adults and already swimming in debt.
Not Taught in School
Probably the most shocking thing about Not Your Parent's Money
book is the banality of the book. It's not earth shattering and
it doesn't show kids anything that's extraordinary. It's not
going to for instance turn your kids into instant millionaires
by following this, that or the other path. It just offers common
sense advice that kids need; the kind of advice that schools
used to offer to kids before it got crowded out for advanced
mathematics, computer courses and other classes that seem to
be all the rage in public schools today (not that those aren't
important - it's just that the idea of cutting basic skills from
the curriculum in favor of things that will help kids get ahead
seems penny wise and pound foolish).
Possibly Even Useful for Adults
The truly remarkable thing however about Not Your Parent's
Money Book is that the book could potentially have an impact
on the adults in a child's life as well. Many people like to
read the book together with their children and, if some user
reviews are to be believed, end up feeling all the more enriched
for the experience, coming away with new insights into their
own personal finance lives.
The bottom line, buy Not Your Parent's Money book for your
kids. But make sure to read it yourself so you can have an intelligent
conversation with them when they have a question - and who knows?
You might even pick up a few tips for yourself.
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