No, It’s Not Just You — Scary Mommies Confess Their Greatest Financial Anxieties

Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt personally victimized by personal finance. It’s a good bet there are plenty of full-on jazz hands raised to the sky. Let’s face it, managing money isn’t one of those fun topics we want to gab about with our Mom Squad. And yet it’s very much A Thing. Whether it’s juggling household bills, paying taxes, saving for college, maintaining a respectable credit score, or knowing how much we should be saving — it’s a lot.

As parents, we want to make sure our kids feel confident and capable when it comes to money. But that means we have to get our minds right, too. Because, like so many other aspects of parenting, our kids are watching how we handle money discussions. A recent study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research shows that parents’ attitudes toward money have a whole lot to do with the relationship their kids will have with money in the future. Parents who worry about money tend to have kids who worry about money. Kids start forming their values, attitudes and beliefs around money at a young age, so it’s never too early to start the conversation about finances.

Thankfully, now there’s a tool that empowers families to raise financially smart kids. The Greenlight debit card and money app helps kids manage money and expands the financial capabilities of the whole family.

Greenlight is dedicated to teaching kids, teens and families about how to earn, spend, save, give and invest. With this smart, easy-to-use app, kids and teens learn about money management in a safe — and totally parent-controlled — environment. With features like chores, allowance, and savings goals, kids learn how to budget and save for today and for the future in a hands-on way. It’s an incredible resource for educating parents, too. Greenlight has tons of information on earning, saving and the long-term benefits of investing early for long-term wealth.

Recently, we asked Scary Mommies to share some of their Cash Confessions, and boy, did you come through. Do any of these sound familiar?

This confession, or some version of it, comes up over and over when moms stop being polite and start getting real (about money). Although we know we should teach our kids how to manage money responsibly, the reality is that many of us learned through trial and “nothing in the checking account” error. It’s great to have a trusted tool like Greenlight so we can learn more right along with our kids.

For a lot of us, even the idea of money is a little terrifying. Whether because of how we grew up, or because of unforeseen expenses, or because we just avoid it altogether, we may struggle to feel confident in our ability to handle our finances. The good news is, we can help our kids avoid this dread and grow up with a healthy relationship with money. Greenlight empowers kids to learn how to confidently manage their finances early and skip the money anxiety.

Even if we have a firm grip on the family finances, that doesn’t mean our partners do. There’s a reason why fights about money are a huge contributor to marital stress. There’s so much wrapped up in it: good judgement, feeling safe, shared priorities. Educating our kids while they’re kids gives them a solid foundation so they can confidently manage their own finances and work together with (or spot red flags in) future partners!

Money and financial literacy can feel overwhelming — that’s where Greenlight really comes in clutch. It gives kids (and parents!) the opportunity to learn about managing money in one simple app.

Greenlight is a debit card and money app for families that allows kids and teens to earn, save, spend and invest in a parent-controlled and safe environment. Learn more and find the right plan for your family at Greenlight.com.