February 11, 2009 3:01 PM
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Reading, Writing And … Personal Finance?
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It looks like just another morning in Mrs. Peterson's second grade classroom. Except the topic today for the Chicago-area kids isn't the three R's, reports CBS News correspondent Cynthia Bowers, it's the bottom line.
"How do you save money?" the teacher asks.
It's part of a project the Naperville School District bought into a few years back-teaching kids as young as eight the nuts and bolts of money management.
Susan Beachem designed the program, which features an unusual piggy bank at its center.
"What's different about that piggy bank, Alex?'" Beachem asks.
"It had save, spend donate and invest all in slots," the child replies.
The goal is to have kids learn a lesson many parents never did-to make smart choices with money.
"Do American kids get enough education about money?" Bowers asks.
"Absolutely not," Beachem says. "Money's like sex. Nobody wants to talk about it cause it's personal … it's our responsibility. We all have to take responsibility for what we know and what we don't know about money.
"Which is what you're teaching the kids," Bowers says.
In a country where people save less than half a penny of every dollar they make-compared to more than 10 cents in Germany and nearly 13 in France-only six states currently require financial education classes. And that's a concern for the highest leaders of high finance.
Todd and Mindy McCauley are teaching son Drew to fight off the urge for instant gratification, but they know that's tough in a culture where kids are targeted by ads everywhere they look.
"We just keep getting fed the message of 'you need this. You need this now, and if you don't have it, you are not successful,'" Mindy McCauley says.
Back in Drew's classroom, it looks like learning early how to handle money is paying off.
"Every month my mom gives me $10," second grader Rachel Kim says.
"What are you gonna do with that $10 now?" Bowers asks.
"I think I'm gonna save it," Rachel says.
Copyright 2009 CBS. All rights reserved. "How do you save money?" the teacher asks.
It's part of a project the Naperville School District bought into a few years back-teaching kids as young as eight the nuts and bolts of money management.
Susan Beachem designed the program, which features an unusual piggy bank at its center.
"What's different about that piggy bank, Alex?'" Beachem asks.
"It had save, spend donate and invest all in slots," the child replies.
The goal is to have kids learn a lesson many parents never did-to make smart choices with money.
"Do American kids get enough education about money?" Bowers asks.
"Absolutely not," Beachem says. "Money's like sex. Nobody wants to talk about it cause it's personal … it's our responsibility. We all have to take responsibility for what we know and what we don't know about money.
"Which is what you're teaching the kids," Bowers says.
In a country where people save less than half a penny of every dollar they make-compared to more than 10 cents in Germany and nearly 13 in France-only six states currently require financial education classes. And that's a concern for the highest leaders of high finance.
Todd and Mindy McCauley are teaching son Drew to fight off the urge for instant gratification, but they know that's tough in a culture where kids are targeted by ads everywhere they look.
"We just keep getting fed the message of 'you need this. You need this now, and if you don't have it, you are not successful,'" Mindy McCauley says.
Back in Drew's classroom, it looks like learning early how to handle money is paying off.
"Every month my mom gives me $10," second grader Rachel Kim says.
"What are you gonna do with that $10 now?" Bowers asks.
"I think I'm gonna save it," Rachel says.
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