Kids don't learn about money by osmosis and very little even in school. Your child may not learn a whole lot about money even in church, yet a child needs to develop a good sense about money from an early age.

In his book "Allowances: Dollars and Sense", financial planner Paul Lermitte tells us that in order to help them become responsible they have to know about it and handle it and even be responsible for it. Otherwise they can end up following a path that leads to:

Financial Dependency- financially irresponsible adults develop poor money management skills, end up in debt and may become dependent on someone else, even you!

Destructive Values- may end up comparing it to their self-worth or become addicted to possessions, believing they must have all the latest gadgets and toys to be happy.

Debt- with no understanding of setting goals, planning for the future, budgeting or becoming a wise consumer they can end up paralyzed in the world's money system of credit.

Loss Of Confidence- lack of sound financial understanding could affect other areas of their life like career and relationships.

Family Conflict- only strong principles and a plan of action can keep the home from exploding or imploding over financial issues.

Lack of Values- despite good intentions we may be omitting life's lessons on strong family values.

Growing up in my generation the emphasis was on saving as using credit was difficult. Women worked hard to cut extra corners, be frugal in cooking and entertaining, shop wisely waiting for sales. Now we get 3-4 pre approved credit card offers in the mail everyday. Cash is tight needs are high, emotions are spent along with the last paycheck and these offers are very tempting!

There has never been such a time where we need to teach our kids to manage money wisely so as not to end up incapacitated from it. Money is necessary to live but it is just money, a tool, a medium of exchange. Learning to handle money by living within one's means, using frugality and delayed gratification will offer a more gratifying life later on. We need to teach our kids about truth, temperance, temptation and trusting themselves in the arena of money.

We are their greatest example.

A woman invited some people to dinner and at the table, she turned to her six- year- old daughter and said, "Would you like to say the blessing?" "But I don't know what to say," the girl replied. Nervously the mother urged, "Well dear just say what I say when I pray." The daughter bowed her head took a deep breath and said, "Oh, Lord why on earth did I invite these people to dinner!"

Whether we like it or not our kids will be a direct reflection of us.

Here are two words to look at closely: "Train" and "Rod". We use these frequently in talking about raising kids:

TRAIN up a child - the Greek word used for train means whet. In those days if a nursing mother couldn't get her child to nurse she knew that child would become weak and even perish. She would place a few drops of date milk on her finger and place it in the baby's mouth to whet the baby's appetite and cause it to nurse. It is our job as parents, teachers and leaders to whet their appetite for the things of God.

Also, look at the word ROD. We use the verse spare the rod and spoil the child as a verse in discipline, but look at the two Greek words used originally HRABDOS and KALAMOS. Hrabdos was a reed used for measuring and Kalamos was a staff used for directing sheep. In reference to raising kids if we neglect to keep our reed or measurement according to God's principles for raising children, we will allow our kids to spoil or die on the vine and never reach their full potential in their own lives or in the plan God has for them.

Proverbs 22:6 (NIV) tells us, "Train a child in the way he should go,

and when he is old he will not turn from it." Too often we only look at this verse without reading verse 7 which says, "The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender."

As parents, If our attitude about money and spending is not in line with Biblical Economics there is a great possibility our kids attitude will reflect that. As parents we can nurture our children by setting an example, showing them the reality of unwise financial management and promoting the benefits of wise stewardship.