My cheat sheet to teach your kids about money … because it’s possible they won’t learn at school

September 20, 2026 — 5:00am

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Fresh off speaking at Parliament House in Canberra about why we need to introduce mandatory money lessons for our kids in schools, I had a possibly even more exciting invitation last week …

The global kids’ jingle juggernauts – I’ve now had Big Red Car stuck in my head three straight days – also have a fabulous parenting podcast: Wiggle Talk.

And they’ve asked me to appear on a special episode about how to teach children about money.

You may have heard me say – I feel like I am blue in the face! – that it’s very possible your kids won’t learn about managing money at school.

Lessons vary by state, by school and by subject. That’s even though there is supposed to have been a smattering sprinkled through the national curriculum since 2011.

Instead, my own Year 11 son reports having had just one money lesson in high school. And my Year 8 daughter, who was taking business so was guaranteed some grounding, has just dropped it … for woodwork.

Nothing against woodwork – I loved it at school, but I sadly don’t find it super useful in everyday life. Super, however, the retirement-savings type, is highly relevant.

Enough is enough – it’s time to get money smarts into schools

Nicole Pedersen-McKinnonMoney contributor

And we know that kids want to learn how to manage money –........

© The Age