WELCOME LESSONS FOR KIDS ON BECOMING MONEY-SAVVY

Mrs Spiggles and her Money Tales – Money Messages for Kids

Author: Jean Archary

Publisher: self-published

Available at Exclusive Books countrywide or for R200 from website www.mrsspiggles.co.za

Many money problems that people face could have been avoided if financial literacy were taught earlier in life.

Jean Archary is a financial wellness coach (she is a Certified Financial Planner, Certified Workplace Coach, holds a BA in Psychology and Communication and a postgraduate diploma in Advanced Tax), mother and author. She produced this children’s book to share important money messages with children, aiming to set them on a path to financial wellbeing as adults.

Mrs Spiggles is like a fairy godmother in the form of a flying piggy bank. She imparts four key money messages in a series of short stories. The first is about how money is earned and the importance of budgeting.

The second teaches the importance of saving up for what you want. In the third story children will learn about how to spend money wisely.

The final story teaches about the value of money and the importance of giving to the less fortunate.

The book is appropriate for children between the ages of six and 11. At the end of each story there is a list of questions that can be used to test your child's understanding of the concepts relayed. “You will be amazed by the profound conversations that occur,” says Archary.

“Having worked in financial services, and having delivered financial education talks to adults, even I found myself struggling to explain financial concepts in a way that would make sense to my daughter,” says Archary. “So I went off to the bookstore to find a storybook that would assist with unpacking the details. To my surprise, I could not find any age-appropriate books relating to money. This triggered an idea, and this was how Mrs Spiggles was born.”