The Money Tree Myth

Christine Linge is a past director of the Toronto & District Parent
Co-operative Preschool Corporation and a freelance writer.

Gail Vaz-Oxlade, a financial consultant and investor, draws on her
experience as a parent to create a surprisingly successful mix of money
facts, humor, and parenting advice (strictly on the subject of modeling
good money habits).

Beginning with an overview of teaching techniques and learning stages,
Vaz-Oxlade sets the groundwork for the many “Money Lessons” and
“Fun with Money” activities found throughout the book. Age-graded
from toddler to teenager, these range from a currency word-search puzzle
and calculating inflation to playing storekeeper and “playing” the
stock market. Whether discussing the invention of money (How many cakes
for a pair of shoes?), the concept of relative value (wherein children
learn to evaluate costs in terms of amount of work), or allowances, the
author adheres to her underlying philosophy: model children’s lessons
on real-life experience so that they can “practice in safety, fail
where consequences aren’t life changing, and grow confident under the
guidance of those who love and care for them most.”

Vaz-Oxlade consistently demonstrates an understanding of the
youngster’s viewpoint, especially in “Making Money” (with examples
of contracts and invoices) and in “Born to Shop.” At the same time,
the more technical chapters on mutual funds and bonds give parents and
children an opportunity to share the learning experience while they
uproot the myth of the money tree. Highly recommended.