Before We Teach Kids About Money, Let’s Talk About Ourselves
By Lindsey Reed, Money Management Trainer at TISA
#MyMoneyWeek 2025 | 9 – 13 June Theme: Making the Most of Your Money
As professionals in financial organisations, we’re often focused on the next generation. How can we help children and young people become more financially confident, capable, and resilient?
That’s the purpose behind #MyMoneyWeek, a national initiative that encourages schools and communities to explore money matters with 3 – 19-year-olds. This year’s theme, “Making the Most of Your Money,” is about empowering young people to use money wisely, confidently, and with purpose.
But here’s a challenging question: How can children make the most of their money… if the adults around them haven’t learned how to do the same?
What Children Learn About Money – Without a Single Lesson
Children are constantly absorbing messages about money, not just from school, but from parents, carers, and the world around them.
· They notice the tension when bills arrive.
· They hear how we talk about being “bad with money.”
· They watch how we spend, save, or avoid conversations altogether.
Even without a formal lesson, young people are learning. And perhaps most importantly, they sense how we feel about money, whether it’s a source of safety, stress, possibility, or fear.
In TISA’s Money Management programme, we begin with mindset. One of our powerful exercises in the Mind Over Money module is this question: If money was a person, what kind of relationship would you have with it?
The answers are revealing. Some see money as a critical parent. Others, a distant stranger. Some view it as an unreliable friend or a powerful enemy. Very few describe money as a supportive, joyful partner.
These beliefs don’t come out of nowhere. They’re shaped by childhood messages, family dynamics, and life experiences. And unless we pause to explore and shift them, we unconsciously pass them on.
You Can’t Make the Most of Your Money If You’re Avoiding It
That’s why this year’s theme is so powerful. “Making the Most of Your Money” sounds simple, but it isn’t always easy.
You can’t make the most of your money if you:
· Avoid looking at your bank balance
· Feel shame about debt or spending habits
· Panic when the topic of money comes up
When adults feel more confident, curious, and in control of their finances, they create healthier environments for young people to learn and grow. They’re more likely to talk about money openly, model positive habits, and teach by example, not fear.
As well as practical tools, our programme also:
· Helps employees explore their own money story
· Builds emotional and financial confidence
· Provides support for staff, their families, and their communities
A New Legacy Starts With Us
At TISA, we believe in long-term, sustainable impact. That’s why we offer not just workplace training, but also a Train the Trainer route, enabling staff to deliver financial education in schools, communities, and beyond.
So this #MyMoneyWeek, we’re inviting leaders in the financial sector to reflect:
· What relationship do your people have with money?
· Are they empowered to model healthy behaviours for themselves and the next generation?
· Are we, as adults, ready to talk openly about money so that young people can learn from our example?
Because before we teach kids about money, we need to talk about ourselves.
Want to find out more?
TISA’s Money Management programme helps organisations improve employee wellbeing and extend their impact into the wider community.
Let’s make the most of our money — so they can make the most of theirs.
Want to learn more? Start your journey here – tell us you’re interested via the Register form on https://www.tisa.uk.com/the-essentials-of-money-management/ We look forward to hearing from you!