I never received any kind of financial education as a child, because I don't think people generally understand that this is beneficial. They just view the subject of money with a lot of suspicion and something that children shouldn't even think about. This is totally wrong. However, in my childhood and adolescence, my parents did make sure that I understood that money did not come through the pipeline. And that they worked hard to feed us, and take care of our basic needs. I don't know if it's because I lived in another life and I still have my memory, but I never demanded that they gave me anything. Nor did I crave for things in the street for them to buy for me. I was simply in my world and whatever came, I received it with affection.
I remember one day they bought us two toys with keys that we blew on and musical notes came out. My memory fails, but I think I wanted my sister's because of the color and I threw mine on the floor. It broke and I was left without a toy. This was enough for me to understand that it was silly of me and that they were not going to buy me another one. They didn't even scold me, but I also understood that the broken toy hurt them because they had spent money on it and I didn't appreciate it. I don't forget it today. And all these things actually... they taught me something: to be grateful.
My parents worked all their lives for a salary. In my house we had just enough. No luxuries. As I've gotten older I've come to understand that what I thought was luxurious are actually normal things that anyone could have, but here it's always been difficult to get even the basics.
It's been a few years since I started to look at money differently, because by myself, I learned certain things. Nobody has educated me in this. I felt the need to learn and see money not as something malicious (as many times I heard people close to me say), but as something necessary and that I should do something to save in a smart way, putting my money in assets that do not devalue for example. Or that at some point may acquire value. But I have been able to think about this in recent years when these conditions were given, because here there was a time when having dollars was a sacrilege and you could even go to jail for it. Anyway, at that time I did not know anything about financial matters. I was a child.
I have a lot to say on this subject. There are other things... many other things. But the important fact is that I have learned something and I think it's never too late to learn and make progress.
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A sad fact is that many don't see it as beneficial to kids, fortunately my parents did. You're right though, many do not see it as valuable.
I said in another (very long comment in this post) about the examples a parent (should) set (s) for their children and how important they are. We tend to soak up knowledge as kids, not just told it, but we observe. My parents didn't sit me down and lecture me about finance, but I saw what they did, how much they struggled financially and how they worked around it and I learned. We talked about it too, but much of what I learned came through observation which also made me inquisitive and I then asked questions. probably the same as you.
Your toy story...I was the same, didn't know if what I had would be replaced if it broke (rarely was through lack of money) and so I looked after things better. I can still recall unwrapping birthday or Christmas gifts of things that I knew were second hand and as a kid I felt sad and somewhat disappointed...now I'm glad it was the case because I learned some valuable lessons about material things, financial responsibility and ownership and sacrifice also - my parents went without a lot so us kids could have something, even if that thing was food.
I think we've had the same lessons and experiences despite being in different countries...I'm glad for those lessons, I'm a better man for it now as you are too...a woman, not a man. Lol.
It's an interesting and broad topic, one that must be had over many lunches and dinners in person, don't you think?
I think so. But I'll have to learn to speak English very well for that, because you only know how to say Hola in Spanish.
😂
I'm going to answer this commment totally in fluent Spanish...Ready?
Hola.
😂