Financial Skills Every Child Needs by Age 12: Building Smart Money Habits | Melissa Leong

Christi sits down with Melissa Leong—author of Happy Go Money—to explore the emotional side of teaching kids about money. We dig into why your child’s relationship with money is shaped less by allowance and more by the everyday stress, habits, and conversations at home.What we cover:- The first money lessons every child should learn before age 12- Simple habits for ages 3–5, 6–9, and 10–12- How to talk about money without guilt or anxiety- Connecting money to happiness (not stress or stuff)- The one skill to model when life is chaoticWhy it matters:- Kids absorb how we talk about money—and how we react to it.- You don’t need perfect finances to raise money-smart kids.- Money skills and happiness skills grow together.Show Links:https://www.melissaleong.com/Chapters List:00:00 The Emotional Side of Money02:16 Understanding Money and Happiness05:40 Age 5: Trade offs06:36 Age 6-9: Delaying Gratification and Decision Making09:05 Age 10-12: Practice Opportunities10:58 Common Mistakes in Teaching Budgeting13:03 Emotional Intelligence and Money Management14:55 Building a Money Personality15:40 Creating Memorable Experiences with Money16:56 Modeling Calm Transparency in Money Matters19:17 Neutral Money Conversations for a Calmer Home21:23 My Takeaways