Back when I wrote the Kids And Money chapter, I searched high and low to find an appropriate book to have as a resource for readers to get further information from. I quickly discovered there is bugger all around written to show Aussie parents how to raise financially smart kids. Sure, there is unspecific crap written by ordinary authors like Robert Kiyosaki (the guy who wrote Rich Dad, Poor Dad) and plenty of material aimed at adults who want to know how to handle their own money. But as far as stuff written for mums and dads go it’s pretty thin on the ground.
This was all before I had heard of Victorian dad Robert Bihar. I’ve just read Bihar’s book Don’t Eat the Marshmallow which contains gems like “Don’t complain about your job in front of your kids” (Bihar argues that parents who pass on the message of not liking their job inadvertently also pass on a negative message about money to their kids if the children understand that money comes from work), “Do not teach that your kids that money is the only way to measure success – teach them that what they do with their money is more important”, and a tip that could be straight out of a Captain Financior video – “If your kids saw you pack a healthy lunch to take to work every day they might do the same. You could even make the sandwiches together and get them to choose what goes in them. In modelling your behaviour, your kids would spend less at the school canteen, but more importantly they will learn the value of healthy eating.”
If you thought Bihar and I were singing from the same song sheet, you’d be spot on.
Despite what my wife may sarcastically say to me, I don’t have all the answers (for the record, I don’t pretend to and I also accept that Claudia is right more often than I am, even when she’s not), but I do have a good idea where to find them. Don’t Eat The Marshmallow is another place to find more of those answers.
Bihar has self-published his book so you may struggle to find it in a library, but if you have $20 you can buy one via his website.
Ps As with every book, website or business I recommend, there is no kickback of any kind that Claudia or myself receive from recommending this book.