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It is an elective in most, if not all, Wake County high schools. They also get some of it built into the curriculum in Civics and economics as well as math.
I didn't go to high school in NC but did take a personal finance type class while in school. It was essentially worthless. While adults may think it has value, the vast majority of kids are just going to blow it off like we all did. They'll learn by example at home over anything a text book would ever tell them about balancing a check book (as if we do that these days!).
I didn't go to high school in NC but did take a personal finance type class while in school. It was essentially worthless. While adults may think it has value, the vast majority of kids are just going to blow it off like we all did. They'll learn by example at home over anything a text book would ever tell them about balancing a check book (as if we do that these days!).
That is a fair point. It can be said about any class, lesson, or anything else one chooses to skate through. You get out of it what you put into it.
I didn't go to high school in NC but did take a personal finance type class while in school. It was essentially worthless. While adults may think it has value, the vast majority of kids are just going to blow it off like we all did. They'll learn by example at home over anything a text book would ever tell them about balancing a check book (as if we do that these days!).
Heck, why are we paying to put the little boogers in classes anyway?
Maybe we should just shuttle them all to work farms from 13--18 years old.
OTOH, it is common for "blown off" lessons to resurface in consciousness years later, and those who do decide the subject is important could benefit sooner.
Our kids get a weekly allowance equal to a dollar per year of age. 30% is for long term savings. Car, etc. 40% is for spending on whatever they want immediately. 30% goes into saving for intermediate term items like laptops which may take a year or so to save up for. We do not loan them money to bridge to next allowance payout. We pay on Monday now because we found that a Friday or Saturday payout resulted in carting them to a store to buy stuff right away. They are also responsible for spending some of their own money on school clothes at the start of each year. They are much more responsible with their money since we've instituted this...we started at 10 yrs old and they are approaching 12 now. They each check their 529s on occasion to see what investing is about..the highs and lows.
Our kids get a weekly allowance equal to a dollar per year of age. 30% is for long term savings. Car, etc. 40% is for spending on whatever they want immediately. 30% goes into saving for intermediate term items like laptops which may take a year or so to save up for. We do not loan them money to bridge to next allowance payout. We pay on Monday now because we found that a Friday or Saturday payout resulted in carting them to a store to buy stuff right away. They are also responsible for spending some of their own money on school clothes at the start of each year. They are much more responsible with their money since we've instituted this...we started at 10 yrs old and they are approaching 12 now. They each check their 529s on occasion to see what investing is about..the highs and lows.
Don't tell my kids. I'm underpaying them.
They still save a good amount of money, though. They get paid biweekly, just like I do.
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As a middle school/high school math teacher (Algebra) it blows my mind that the state requires me to spend basically a day on compounding interest.
That's nuts!!!! Okay....I understand that doing it in long form may not be realistic, but I barely even have to go over the principles around it and how it works. It's the math that will have the most impact on their day to day lives whether they know it or not.
I also think that it's crazy that every citizen is expected to pay taxes but there isn't a high school class that shows students about to turn 18 how to fill out the forms to file.
I don't really expect the school to teach my child basic life lessons. Although I will say that in 4th grade my son's teacher had an optional stock investment project/contest. The kids built a portfolio and monitored it for a period of time.
I don't really expect the school to teach my child basic life lessons. Although I will say that in 4th grade my son's teacher had an optional stock investment project/contest. The kids built a portfolio and monitored it for a period of time.
We could call many public school activities basic life lessons tangential to education. Sports and recreation. Personal hygiene. Sex Ed. Manners. Driving. Anti-bullying.
Heck, schools even feed kids and baby sit after school.
Personal finance is a significant life skill that if a reasonable skill level is developed, can help that child avoid many life-defining mistakes, be more independent and less dependent on others.
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