Parenting Site Offers Tips & Advice for Talking to Children
BOSTON - April 7, 2009 - Current economic conditions are not just taking a toll on our pocketbooks but are causing stress for the entire family, especially its youngest members, who may not understand what is happening. Parents can turn to FamilyEducation for resources and advice on talking to kids about layoffs and money, as well as strategies for staying on track and saving for retirement in tight times.Visitors to the popular parenting site can also share the ways that the tumultuous economy is affecting them, through a variety of polls asking questions such as "how has the mortgage meltdown affected your family?" and "how has the recent economic news affected your retirement planning?" Or they can visit the FamilyEducation message boards, where parents are discussing the ways they are coping during this economic downturn.
"Whether your family has been directly affected by the current economic conditions with a job layoff, mortgage problems or other hardship; or if you are cutting back to be sure you can survive, this is a stressful time for all of us. In many cases, our youngest family members - our children - sense the seriousness of what we are all dealing with and worry about what it means for them," said Jess M. Brallier, publisher, Family Education Network. "At times like these, information and tools can help us make survival plans and ease the stress for everyone. FamilyEducation offers resources and advice to help families weather the current economic downturn and develop money management and budgeting skills that will serve them well in these tight times and in better days ahead."
With layoffs hitting a record level and some speculation that national unemployment may hit double digits before an economic recovery is in sight, many kids are faced with Mom and Dad losing their jobs. While parents may try to shield their children from all of this doom and gloom, kids are well aware of what is happening, from the adult conversations around them and what they hear and read in the news. FamilyEducation offers parents tools for teaching children about money management and how the economy works. The site's " 15 Ways to Teach Kids About Money" gives parents a primer for helping their kids learn the value of money and saving, as well as how to become smart shoppers.
A special FamilyEducation section on money-saving tips called " Save $100 or More This Month" will help parents analyze their current expenses, track their money and find ways to trim the fat. With the printable calculating family expenses worksheet, parents can figure out exactly where their money is going and then read the article "Assessing Which Expenses You Can Eliminate" as they begin to develop a working budget using FamilyEducation's many tools and resources. The site's "Budget and Personal Finance" section offers resources for managing the family's money, such as budgeting and reducing grocery costs. The section features a printable budget worksheet that can be downloaded and used to plan a budget that will serve a family well in any economic condition.
Valuable information about mortgages and buying a home is also featured on FamilyEducation. Articles on the parenting site focus on mortgage basics, understanding the difference between a fixed and variable rate mortgage, and evaluating how much people can really afford to spend on a house. Plus, a section on retirement planning reminds parents that in tight times, it is more important than ever to try to save and plan for the future, with tips on retirement planning, information about how 401(K) plans work and tools to analyze future retirement financial needs.
About FamilyEducation
FamilyEducation is the leading online publisher of practical parenting guidance, expert family advice, printables, skill-building exercises and activities for children. FamilyEducation.com is dedicated to educating parents and parents-to-be so they can raise healthy, educated and well-rounded children.
FamilyEducation is part of Pearson, the world's largest integrated education company. Pearson's other primary operations include the Financial Times Group and the Penguin Group.