Real Money, Real Families

REAL MONEY, REAL FAMILIES

Online tools for kids’ financial literacy By Luke Erickson

Well, it’s back to school time and The National Financial Educators Council we’re all holding our collective recently shared, “…schools rarely teach breath. I don’t think there has personal finance for kids; we are failing to ever been a time when so many produce self-sufficiency among our younger parents – and kids for that matter – have been generations.” so ready for school to get back in session. It’s not so much that we’re trying to blame

There are still many uncertainties with K-12 teachers. They already have quite a school, and education in general. There will bit on their plates. But the truth is that most likely be some big, semi-permanent changes school systems are not designed to devote to the way education will be delivered in the much time to non-core areas like consumer coming months and years, including staggered economics in normal times – let alone during schedules, more reliance on technology a national crisis. and distance education, and the very real Luke Erickson The good news is that parents and teachers possibility of kids staying home for days who understand the importance of financial literacy have a and weeks at a time if/when the COVID strikes a certain wealth of tools at their disposal. First, as a board member classroom or school. I think it’s safe to say that your local of the Idaho Financial Literacy Coalition, the local affiliate K-12 teachers and administrators will have their hands full of the national Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial this fall. That’s why it’s more important now than ever to Literacy, I can tell you that there are many great programs take the bull by the horns when it comes to personal finance and curricula out there that fit a variety of topics and education for your own children. settings. Visit https://jumpstartclearinghouse.org/ to see programs that have been developed by educators all over the country. Another terrific resource is this list of money management K-12 lessons from Maryville University: Got pests? https://online.maryville.edu/online-bachelors-degrees/ accounting/money-management-lessons-kids/ Call the Boise Bug Man! But who has the time to research these programs and figure out which one to teach and how to teach it, especially if you’re not really an expert in personal finances yourself ? Well look no further than your land-grant university for fun and engaging personal finance programs for youth. • FULL YEAR OF SERVICE FOR Whether you are a parent, a youth leader, or a K-12 teacher, AS LOW AS $19/MONTH University of Idaho Extension has developed award-winning • FREE INSPECTIONS programs that teach basic personal finance concepts that are free and available to the public. Visit www.uidaho.edu/ • GUARANTEED RESULTS— nw-youth-financial-ed to view and download programs for if your bugs return, so do we — for free! personal or classroom use. • Idaho owned and operated And don’t forget, there are extension educators in every • Licensed through the Idaho Department of corner of the state who are qualified and ready to deliver these

Agriculture and other personal finance programs to classrooms and other youth groups. Simply call your local extension office, or email • Specializing in eliminating: Ants Spiders Wasps Yellow Jackets Cockroaches Ticks me at erickson@uidaho.edu, to arrange to have a personal finance program delivered to your class or youth group.

Earwigs Moths “But Mr. Erickson, what if we don’t want strange people

Box Elders Crickets bringing COVID into our youth groups?”

Schedule your free inspection at boisebugman.com I’m glad I asked that question for you, but I resent you calling us strange. Most of our programs can be easily delivered online. Your kids don’t even have to physically or call Shawn Curry at 208-250-2358 be together, they can simply log into the program session Continued on Page 14

LOOK & COOK RECIPES

Culinary adventures promote development

By Cara Johnson-Bader

At New Horizon Academy, our teachers use classroom cooking activities to promote learning, and you can, too. We understand Yes, the changing state of matter. The simple act of melting butter provides a wonderful way for your child to learn about a solid turning into a liquid.

cooking with your child takes a little more time, a lot more patience, and involves extra clean-up, but it is totally worth it. Cooking boosts language development, fine motor skills, and math abilities, introduces complex scientific concepts, teaches life skills, and creates lasting memories that both you and your child will treasure. Language Development • As you talk and describe what you are doing, your child develops new vocabulary words. Life Skill Development • Cooking is a life skill and a terrific skill to help your child develop. • With each cooking activity, your child will learn important concepts of how to safely use a knife, the importance of not touching a hot stove, how to clean up after he is done cooking. Cara Johnson-Bader We encourage you to try our Look & Cook Recipes. These are fun, simple, and educational

Ingredients Stoplight Snack Look and Cook

Fine Motor Skills • Mixing the ingredients, handling kitchen tools, and rolling the dough are all wonderful ways your child develops his fine motor skills. Math Ability • Cooking involves a great deal of math. From measuring, estimating, and sequencing (“what is first…next…last?”), your child is exposed to a multitude of math concepts in fun and meaningful ways. Scientific Concepts • Science is a huge part of the cooking process. • Your child will learn what happens when you mix ingredients together. • She may even learn about the changing state of matter. cooking activities that you can do using ingredients you already have in your kitchen. The recipes have a child-friendly design, so that your child can easily follow along, and perhaps make the recipes on their own. Visit our website https://newhorizonacademy. net/look-and-cook/ to access the recipes.

Graham cracker

Cream cheese, peanut butter, or sun butter

Banana—halved or apricot—halved

Instructions

Kiwi—sliced or green grapes—sliced

1

Break graham crackers into individual rectangles.

4

Place your banana or apricot in the middle of the graham cracker.

2

Spread your cream cheese, peanut butter, or sun butter onto one side of the graham cracker.

5

Add your kiwi or green grape at the bottom of the graham cracker. Enjoy!

3

Cara Johnson-Bader is the Vice President of Marketing and Parent Experiences at New Horizon Academy and mother of two young boys. Learn more about New Horizon Academy at newhorizonacademy.net.

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