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With our economic incentive checks on the way, it’s appropriate time to talk with your kids about money especially since many kids don’t have a clue. Either they think that ATMs are “magic money machines.” (I wish.) Or they think you have no money because you keep saying, “I don’t have the money for that!” when you don’t want to buy something they want.

I recently came across this attitude myself when Lucie said, “Mom, the next time you have some money, can you buy me fruit cups?” I told her, I always have money for healthy snacks.

Here are some book recommendations to get a dialog started about money, spending and saving:

• Bunny Money  by Rosemary Wells for ages four to six. Max and Ruby spend so much on emergencies while shopping for Grandma’s birthday presents, that they just barely have enough money left for gifts. Your child can help count along by keeping track of Ruby’s money. Wells puts an illustration of Ruby’s and its dwindling contents at the bottom of each page where a transaction occurs. Also, parents can photocopy and cut out the “bunny money” on the endpapers. This way children can count out each purchase. I love that you get a great Rosemary Wells story, get to hang out with Max and Ruby, and get to count and play shopping with them. 
• The New Totally Awesome Money Book for Kids, Revised and Updated Edition for ages 9 to 12 was originally written by 11-year-old Arthur Bochner and his mom, financial planner Adriane G. Berg. It has been praised as a terrific introduction to money for kids. Arthur is now 24 and has teamed up with his sister, Rose, to update this guide to the basics of saving, investing, working, and taxes. Topics covered include budgets, investing, credit cards, using the Internet, and paying for college.

• A Smart Girl’s Guide to Money: How to Make It, Save It, And Spend It (American Girl Library) by Nancy Holyoke for ages nine to 12. This addition to the popular Smart Girl’s Guide series helps girls gain money smarts. Quizzes, tips, and quotes from girls make learning about money management fun. The book includes a special section with 101 moneymaking ideas. A link at the American Girl website offers girls the opportunity to print business cards, flyers, and other materials to get their moneymaking ideas up and running with style. 
• The Everything Kids’ Money Book: From Saving to Spending to Investing - Learn All About Money! (Everything Kids Series) by Diane Mayr for ages nine to 12. This book covers everything money related from the history of money, to allowances, to investing. The book gives suggestions on how to make money and what to do with the money once you’ve earned it. Children will enjoy the section on money trivia, too .
• Complete Idiot’s Guide to Money for Teens by Susan Shelley. This book has an interesting angle - teen as consumer. This gives them tremendous influence, but it also sets them up to be taken advantage of. This book teaches them how to get money, save and invest it, budget it, spend it wisely, and keep track of it. Includes information and tips on saving for a car, maintaining a checking account, and how to establish a good credit history.

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