Month: November 2024

It’s complicated.

Did you know that only 17% of high school students are required to take a personal finance course? Unfortunately, most of us didn’t learn much about personal finance or investing at home or in school when we were growing up either.

The Gift of Financial Education: Money Skills and Financial Freedom

Teaching grandkids about money is crucial because money is an integral part of our daily lives. Planting seeds now is important, even while they are still riding scooters, swinging on monkey bars, or coloring with crayons.

It’s important to introduce them to the concepts of earning, saving, spending, and managing money wisely so they understand the value of a dollar. This helps shape good money habits and smart financial decisions as they grow.

Instilling positive habits teaches financial responsibility, builds confidence, and leads to better decisions, helping to prevent common financial mistakes later on, such as credit card debt, living without a budget, and struggling to manage money.

Why Parents and Grandparents Should Teach Kids About Money

Too often, parents avoid teaching their kids about money because they think their children are too young to understand, or they assume their kids will learn how to manage money when they’re older.

This is a big mistake. When left to learn about money on their own, kids may pick up both good and bad habits from friends, social media, or through trial and error. They also observe how their parents handle money, sometimes unknowingly adopting poor money habits that can lead to financial stress, paycheck-to-paycheck living, or debt.

It’s critical to break this cycle by teaching kids’ good money habits at a young age. This is where you, as a grandparent, can be of service. You’ve been through a lot in your lifetime, and you know the good, the bad, and the ugly of managing or mismanaging money.

Teaching Kids About Money Is Simple

It’s not hard to teach kids about money. Keep it simple, practical, interactive, and fun!

Teach them the basics in an age-appropriate manner. Real-life examples and hands-on activities are some of the most effective tools. The key is to start early, be consistent, and make it fun!

Age-Appropriate Money Lessons

Ages 3 to 7

Piggy Bank and Play Money

Young kids can start identifying coins and understanding that money has value. Introduce the concept of saving with a piggy bank. Encourage them to save spare change and let them see how money adds up over time.

Play Store

Let kids practice making choices, purchases, and counting in a pretend store setting.

Ages 8 to 12

Earning an Allowance

Let kids earn a regular allowance by doing chores. This teaches them about earning, budgeting, saving, and responsible spending. It helps them set savings goals for something they might want or need.

Grocery Shopping Game

Give them a budget and let them make choices within it. This helps them learn to make good decisions – and likely a few bad ones, too!

Ages 13 to 18

Savings Accounts and Compound Interest

Introduce them to savings accounts and explain how compound interest works. If you give them a debit card for purchases, link it to their savings account to teach responsibility with card usage.

Family Financial Discussions

Include them in discussions about household bills like the mortgage, rent, electricity, water, and groceries. This teaches them the real costs of day-to-day living.

Ages 18 and Beyond

Credit and Loans

Explain how credit and loans work (e.g., student loans, car loans, and mortgages). Teach them the importance of maintaining a good credit score and about compounding interest when saving and investing.

Fun Family Activities to Teach Kids About Money

Entrepreneurship

Encourage a lemonade stand or selling artwork/crafts to teach about earning, expenses, and profits.

Board Games

Games like Monopoly teach concepts of buying, selling, and investing in real estate.

Grocery Shopping

Teach decision-making, price comparison, staying within a budget, and the value of coupons.

How to Raise a Grateful, Respectful, Responsible, and Non-Entitled Child

This is one of the biggest challenges parents and grandparents face today. While a certain degree of “good spoiling” is okay, especially for grandparents, too much of anything – whether toys, clothes, gadgets, or electronics – can overwhelm and have negative consequences.

For example, too many choices can lead to overstimulation, fatigue, lack of focus, and diminished creativity. Toys are meant to enrich and teach children, but an overabundance can have the opposite effect. Kids thrive with fewer toys and benefit from simplicity – less is more.

Finding Balance

While it’s important to provide kids with what they need and enjoy, don’t give them so much that they don’t appreciate it or feel entitled. Striking this balance is essential if you want your kids to be grateful, not entitled.

Set Limits and Stick to Them

Say no to your kids often – and mean it. Teach them about delayed gratification. Have them do chores to earn money. Teach them to respect and care for their belongings.

Buy Fewer Things

Instead of buying more, spend more time with your kids. Create and enjoy experiences with them that will last a lifetime.

Teaching kids about money from an early age sets the foundation for lifelong financial success. By instilling good habits, fostering responsibility, and making learning about money fun, you equip your children with the skills they need to make smart financial choices as they grow.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What strategies have you found helpful in teaching your kids and grandkids about money? Share your experiences in the comments below!

The details are in.

Michelle, who was named creative director of Joe’s Jeans, broke down denim trends for this fall and winter. 

Pamela Anderson started the makeup free revolution to “challenge beauty standards” and feel more “natural and herself.” Coming from an actress who has been an icon of unreachable beauty, I think we would all agree this is a refreshing change.

Having said that, I have questions.

Is she really not wearing any makeup? Can the average mature woman do this and receive applause, or will people look at us and wonder what the heck we were thinking? Is her statement more about personal freedom or is it an example of women throwing off the cultural oppression of beauty at any price?

As I jump up and down in expectation of your thoughts on this subject, I also have something to say about the no-makeup ideal. Most celebrities who proclaim wearing the no-makeup trend have at least a little makeup on. Mind you, it is strategically placed by a soft-handed makeup artist with an eye for detail, but it is there.

For this look, I asked my friend Pascal, who never wears makeup, to be my model and show how to do uber subtle makeup and not look like a cadaver. Mind you, I really made Pascal’s eyes pop out, but I can’t help it, and neither should you. Bring out your best features but do it with subtle finesse and calm glamor. Why not? Pam does.

Start with Skin!

Gua sha + face oil

Beautiful, healthy skin is the bedrock for this look. For Pascal, I applied an oil soluble vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and fulvic acid before tossing on some facial oil from Boom Beauty and using the gua sha. This gave her skin a luminescent glow that typifies the no-makeup look.

The gua sha is fantastic at reducing inflammation, improving microcirculation, and brightening the face. In fact, with my puffy eyes, I use it nearly every day to move fluid out of that area before applying any makeup. I have no doubt that Pamela does something similar before going on camera. In fact, I’d bet the farm on it.

Eyebrows, if You Must

Right side eyebrow filled in

Pascal has good eyebrows, so I only filled them in as needed including extending them at the ends. To do this, I used an eye brow pencil in blonde, applying it with small strokes to look like actual hair and not like drawing a line. Pamela Anderson, on the other hand, doesn’t have eyebrows so, if you look closely, she uses a pencil to give a nice shape that looks natural.

To continue with the eyebrow idea, if you have a thicker brow and want to give them a lift, use a brow gel instead. You can use both the pencil and the gel, but for most of us that’s more work than we are willing to put in just for eyebrows. On Pascal, I used both products just for the tutorial, and both look very natural and not overdone.

Cover Discolorations

Concealer on select spots

I’m pretty sure if Pamela had a huge zit on her nose she would cover it up. This is a practical justification for using cover-up where you need it! In the video, I used a little concealer on the dark sections under Pascal’s eyes, redness on her cheeks, and some darkness around her nose.

If you work with the product and blend well, it shouldn’t be noticeable. I touched these areas with a dusting of power so they wouldn’t reflect in the camera, but otherwise, it’s just her skin.

Eyeliner Done Right

Eyeliner on right eye

Eyeliner is easy to mess up, but incredible if you get it right. In this tutorial, I applied a water-resistant liner to Pascal’s waterline, and then the same shade between her lashes on her upper lid. I stayed away from under her eyes and the lower water line, and you can see the enormous difference this made! The liner I used on Pascal goes on like butter, blends well, and stays put; all benefits you want from a product.

After blending the top liner with a soft brush, her eyes really come to life and the beautiful green color pops for all to see. Does Pamela wear eyeliner? I think she does, but she uses a taupe color that is flattering for her fair coloring and blends it well. I went for a darker mocha shade with Pascal, and it really looks gorgeous.

Mascara at the Roots

Brown mascara on eyelash roots

Many of us are addicted to thick, volumized lashes and struggle to try anything less noticeable. Having said that, on Pascal, I used a stunning brown mascara only on the roots of her lashes, and I think you will agree it looks incredible.

Here is how you do it: start at the base of your lashes and wiggle the mascara wand a little, getting the product right at the roots. Take it up only slightly, then move to the next section. Because the color of the product is so pretty, and the rest of her makeup so subtle, the mascara helps her eyes stand out without looking too strong. Try it, it’s easy and looks amazing.

Blush Like a Pro

Blush on the right cheek

I’m a monster fan of blush for mature ladies, it’s the bomb. If the trend is no blush, I disregard it. On Pascal, I used a soft, natural nude and blended it well into her cheeks. I love the shade and it was much more pigmented than I thought which made for a beautiful flushed look. Cream blush is perfect for the no makeup look, as it contributes to the glass skin idea. I also dabbed a little on her brow bone and above her eyebrows.

Shiny Lips

Pascal after!

Because Pascal has such a strong natural lip color, I only used a lip liner and gloss on her lips. If you don’t have a lot of lip color, then go for a lipstick that matches what your lip color would be if you bite your lips.

Many of you have lips that are more purple than pink so go with what is naturally you. In several interviews with Pamela, I noticed she used a soft rosy lipstick and neutral lip liner, which looked pretty and soft.

Love or Loathe Pam?

Is Pamela Anderson wearing no makeup in her no-makeup look? She’s wearing a little, strategically placed. The focus, though, is on her being natural and true to who she is, which totally floats my boat. Many of us are tired of feeling like we have to constantly measure up and look “young.” It makes me crazy. You, like Pamela, are already beautiful and perfect just like you are.

If it feels good to not wear any makeup, that you are throwing off something oppressive that you don’t like, then by all means! If you want to wear a little makeup, then go for it. Knowing some tricks like in the video is helpful and can bring about your own revolution in how you present yourself in confidence. Thanks, Pamela!

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What do you think about Pamela Anderson today? Have you seen her no-makeup look? Do you think this natural look will work on you? Have you tried it? What products do you use?