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In this issue: Engaging kids in the media literacy conversation, introducing the topic to preschoolers and making the money-smart journey more entertaining.

"Working to help parents raise money-smart kids."

​​3 Ideas to Share & Save​
​(Click the link above 👆 to read this week's edition on the web.)

Hello, friends!

You may recall that I teased my podcast conversation with Media Literacy Now CEO and Founder Erin McNeill a few weeks ago. Our full discussion went live this morning.

So if you're looking for ideas to raise money- and media-savvy kids, you'll find this week's newsletter useful.

— 1 —

Kids Just Want to Have Conversations: Many parents think the money talk is scarier than the one about the birds and the bees. (A goal of this newsletter is to alleviate that fear.) But Erin explains that the media talk is nowhere near as difficult. In fact, kids are surprisingly excited to discuss media manipulation because it's the water in which they (and we) swim:

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The match that lit the Media Literacy Now fire was struck when Erin convinced her son's teacher to incorporate media literacy into the fifth-grade curriculum. When Erin saw how engaged the kids became, she realized the subject was meant for many more classrooms.

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Emerging Media Critics: But what if your kids aren't even in grade school? How young is too young to begin the media literacy conversation?

Sure, kids younger than eight have difficulty distinguishing between fact and fiction. (Hello, Santa Claus! 🧑‍🎄) But, as Erin explains, that doesn't mean you shouldn't introduce media literacy to preschoolers:

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Think of this process as emergent media literacy. You read to your kids when they're young, exposing them to language and providing the foundation upon which they become fluent readers and writers. Many experts say literacy emerges from these foundational elements coming together.

(Nerd Alert 🤓: Emergence happens when an accumulation of foundational elements creates something bigger than the sum of its parts. For example, hydrogen and oxygen atoms are just that. But put millions of them together under the right conditions, and you have water!)

I've even discussed emergent financial literacy in this blog post. Because talking about "the green stuff," modeling good money habits and providing the opportunity for foundational financial experiences all help kids emerge as money-smart mavens.

— 3 —

Weekly Wisdom:

McLuhan, the media critic who coined the maxim "The medium is the message," hits the nail on the head here. Effective education is both engaging and entertaining. Just conjure up the images of your favorite teachers, and you'll almost inevitably realize that they were also entertainers.

So when we're acting as the educators, we might remember we're on a journey with our kids. And making that journey just a little more entertaining can make it easier for all of us to enjoy.

Thanks for being a part of my journey!

John,
Chief Mammal

P.S. Please consult with a financial or investment professional before making any decisions that might affect your financial well-being.

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