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In this issue: Introducing the topic of digital literacy, protecting our kids from online scams and contending with the technology we possess. “Working to help parents raise money-smart kids.” 3 Ideas to Share & Save Hello, friends! I have a short, funny story to relate. I knew I wanted to start this week’s newsletter with a quote I only partially recalled. I knew Robert Duvall had said it. (No, not THAT Robert Duvall!) And I knew the quote’s gist had to do with the importance of “The Fourth ‘R,'” or real-world learning. Thankfully, I found what I was looking for in a short blog post: Kids are not learning what Mr. Duvall refers to as the “The Fourth ‘R’ – ‘The Real World.'” The report notes that “the majority of students aren’t receiving the essential real-life economic skills they need to become knowledgeable consumers, prudent savers and investors, and productive members of the workforce.” It’s this fourth “R” that is arguably as important as the other three. (You remember Reading, ‘Riting and ‘Rithmetic.)
The funny part? My search turned up my old blog post from 2007! 🤯 Yep, I’ve been at this for awhile. I’m glad I was able to dial up the “way back machine” for you. Because Mr. Duvall was onto something: Our kids need to learn about the real world as much as they need to learn about reading, writing and math. This newsletter is dedicated to helping you help your kids navigate the real world. And this week’s ideas address my latest podcast discussion about another essential real-world literacy kids need to learn on the journey to money empowerment. — 1 — Raising Digitally-Savvy Kids: Recently Amanda Hullinger, the Director of Marketing of our long-term partner, Georgia United Credit Union, asked for material to help protect kids online to coincide with Cybersecurity Awareness Month. (It starts tomorrow!) So I reached out to podcast guest and media literacy advocate Erin McNeill, who was kind enough to introduce me to Diana Graber. Diana is the author of Raising Humans in a Digital World, and she joined me to share her knowledge about another essential real-world topic for our kids — digital literacy.
My conversation with Diana covers a lot of ground, including:
Of course, one area that should concern us all is protecting our kids from online scams. Which takes us to Idea #2 for the week. — 2 — Scams and Safety: Just as we start our money-smart journeys with the basics — like setting up a three-jar system and kicking off an allowance to open up an ongoing conversation — we should begin at the beginning with digital safety. Teens are a huge target for online scammers. 🎯 But Diana can help! In this short video, she explains some of the most popular scams we can talk about with our kids. (By the way, I’ve since communicated with my own kids about all the schemes Diana outlines.) If you want to dive deeper into this topic, listen to our full conversation. You can also visit the organizations Diana founded, Cyberwise (for parents) and Cyber Civics (for teachers). — 3 — Weekly Wisdom: There’s a quote I return to again and again from the biologist E.O. Wilson that helps explain why we are easily flumoxed by how to deal with technology. It’s because we have: paleolithic emotions, medieval institutions, and god-like technology
Our brains simply haven’t evolved to contend with the technology we now possess. So we find ourselves in the midst of a massive social experiment in which we (and our kids) are the guinea pigs. 🐹 Even with people like Diana on our side, we will have difficulty grappling with the “god-like technology” in our pockets. And without people like her, I sometimes worry about our chances. I’ll leave you with these words from Diana about how you can help yourself (and your community): Thanks for continuing to advance with me towards digital, media and money empowerment. While we’re in the midst of it, let’s not forget to enjoy this journey we’re on together! John, P.S. Please consult with a financial or investment professional before making any decisions that might affect your financial well-being.
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