“Money is not taught in schools. Schools focus on scholastic and professional skills, but not on financial skills.” Robert T Kiyosaki Rich Dad Poor Dad
Sure, in grade school they teach you how to count money and the difference in the coins and face value of bills. But is there really any financial education taught in school? I don’t remember being taught when I was in high school about money. One of my business classes we had a stock picking challenge, but we did not get into the reason why stocks go up or down.
I recently asked my next-door neighbor’s son what he was getting taught in school about money. Nothing! They are not even covering how to balance a check book now. I know most public schools are so busy teaching kids to be good test takers. Some schools in America may be teaching financial education, but it is not wide spread. Where does the responsibility fall? When are we going to make a change? Can parents teach financial education if they have not been given a chance to learn themselves?
I paid my next-door neighbor’s son $25 to read Rich Dad Poor Dad, and take a quiz about what it taught. Of course, he passed the test, but more importantly he asked more questions. Like how are his actions he is doing now will affect his future. If I keep spending and not saving and investing will I have anything later? These are all good questions for a fifteen-year-old kid to ask. Do you think he would ask these questions if he did not read this book? I don’t think so.
That leaves the rest of the population out in the cold. If you don’t know anything about financial education, then how are you going to learn? First step is to make a choice! You must choose to take it upon yourself to commit to your learning. Just like getting on a diet and exercise schedule you must plan to learn. After reading Rich Dad Poor Dad in 1997 I set out to learn all I could to improve my financial education. I hope you will continue to follow us in our path down financial education.
STEP ONE: READ 10 minutes a day or at least 5 pages
This can be done during the commercials of your favorite TV show, so everyone can do it!