We have no idea whether our daughter will grow up to be a dancer or a banker. We have no control over how much money she will make. But we can influence how she will think about whatever she has by being honest about what we do with our own money now. She should know how to save but also how and when to splurge. She should know how to protect herself, too, from her own feelings about money and those of others who might manipulate her. It is an essential part of parenting, even more so than getting her ready for standardized tests or her driver’s license exam.
