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Keynote: Start teaching financial literacy in early childhood to avoid 'money trauma'
Summary
Keynote speaker Dr. Catherine Latoya Grant Alston told the Office of Early Childhood webinar that families should introduce age‑appropriate money talk and activities—counting coins, piggy banks, grocery budgeting—to prevent 'money trauma' and build decision skills.
Dr. Catherine Latoya Grant Alston, the webinar’s keynote speaker, urged caregivers and early‑childhood providers to start teaching financial literacy as soon as possible, saying silence about money can transmit harmful attitudes across generations. “If you are not passing down money knowledge, then you are passing down money trauma,” she said.
Grant Alston described simple, age‑appropriate activities families can use: counting coins, using piggy banks and rolling change to build motor skills and early numeracy, and involving children in grocery budgeting to teach trade‑offs and decision making. She said nonverbal reactions to bills and money shape children’s attitudes as much as direct conversation.
Grant Alston also described efforts that motivated her work, including volunteering on boards and building programs for youth financial education. She noted low‑cost, hands‑on activities (an egg carton, a muffin tin, pennies) can make lessons practical for families who lack resources.
The keynote tied financial literacy to the webinar’s broader theme of play by encouraging caregivers to use everyday routines and playful activities to introduce money concepts, rather than relying on formal courses. The session closed with attendees being directed to free starter kits and other resources offered by presenters and partners.
