I rarely use cash, especially since the pandemic encouraged us all to shift even small amounts of spending to contactless cards or mobile phones. In fact, most of my encounters with cash nowadays are when my kids get their weekly pocket money. I’m all for kids embracing and becoming familiar with digital technologies, and that should definitely include managing and using money. Nevertheless, I worry that an understanding of money itself, and, more importantly, the value of money, is harder to teach these days without something tangible, like cash, to tie it back to. 

In the UK, financial literacy education forms part of the National Curriculum, but is mostly only taught in secondary schools (key stages 3 and 4) and, in any case, its implementation is both patchy and does not go far enough. Recent research has found that 61% of young adults did not recall receiving any financial education at school and that around 30 hours of financial education for 11- to 18-year-olds would be the minimum amount needed to achieve financial literacy¹

I firmly believe we need to start much earlier than that. Sure, you need good numeracy skills, but those are just tools, building blocks for a good financial foundation. The earlier you start, the more concepts you can cover. By understanding financial basics early on, children are better equipped to tackle complex financial decisions later in life, from student loans to mortgages. And this all feeds into another one of my “soapbox” topics: entrepreneurship. We should be exposing kids to the concept of enterprise and business early on, and financial literacy is a key component of that. 

Taking Action: Empowering Your Kids 

The good news is, you, as a parent, can play a crucial role in building your child’s financial literacy. Here are some practical steps to get you started, turning everyday moments into money lessons. 

• Involve your child in creating shopping lists and discussing the cost of items. Let them help with budgeting by allocating amounts for different categories, like groceries or treats. 
• Provide opportunities for them to earn pocket money through chores or simple tasks. Guide them on how to divide their earnings, encouraging them to save for a dream toy while putting some aside for future purchases. 
• Board games can be powerful learning tools. Try age-appropriate games like Monopoly Junior or Pay Day that introduce basic financial concepts like buying, selling, and budgeting in a fun way. 

Use your household as an example 

Once you’ve covered the basics, you should introduce financial concepts into everyday conversation by talking about your household finances (in an age-appropriate way). You can discuss household expenses like rent, bills, and groceries to help them understand how money flows in and out of a family. And be open about the concept of work and income. Discuss how earning money allows us to afford things we want and need. This is a step up from pocket money: we want our kids to know that money is an exchange of value, not something that appears “out of nowhere”. 

More resources 

• MoneySavingExpert has a wealth of additional free resources provided by financial institutions and charities, as well as a free-to-download financial education textbook by Martin Lewis himself.  
• MoneyHelper, by the Government’s Money & Pensions Service, has a whole raft of guides for how to talk to kids about money at different ages 
• Books aimed at children, like “The Great Pet Sale” (ages 3-5), “Lift-the-flap Questions and Answers about Money” (ages 6-8) and “The Young Investor: Projects and Activities for Making Your Money Grow” (ages 9-12) cover all sort of financial topics in an age-appropriate way. 

Let us know of any resources or approaches you have found useful in the comments. 

1.  Financial education in schools | House of Lords Library, January 2024 ︎

The post Make your kids ‘Money Smart’ first appeared on Conflicted Parent.

We all know there are some foundational skills that our kids need to learn: maths and English. Or more properly, literacy and numeracy. Not a day goes by in school, especially in KS1 and KS2, that these two aren’t covered and they are essentially what is measured by the assessments (SATs) at the end of each key stage. 

In the Conflicted Parent’s Guide to 21st Century Skills, I wrote about the other basic literacies that our kids are going to need to be successful. One of these is digital (or ICT) literacy. I described it as “The ability to use digital technology, communication tools and/or networks to define, access, manage, integrate, evaluate, create and communicate information effectively and ethically.”

That’s a serious mouthful. What does it actually mean? 

I think of it this way: literacy skills empower us to decode written language, work out the layers of meaning in stories, and express ourselves with words. Numeracy unlocks the world of numbers, calculations, and logical thinking. Digital literacy does something similar to both of these, but in the digital, instead of the analogue world. It’s not just about knowing how to use different devices, but also about understanding the language and the norms in digital land. Digital literacy is essential for children (and adults) to navigate this world safely, to learn how to find and assess information, and how to use it productively and responsibly.

A toolbox for the digital world

What tools and skills do kids need to learn navigate the world online? The Conflicted Parent’s trademarked digital literacy curriculum isn’t (yet) ready, but broadly it breaks down like this: 

• Technical savvy: Knowing how to use devices like computers, tablets, and phones. It’s not just about swiping and clicking, but understanding basic operations, troubleshooting, and becoming comfortable with software programs they will likely encounter as they grow older. 
• Information literacy: This is like learning to read critically. Kids need to be able to evaluate online information, distinguish fact from fiction, and identify reliable sources. In an age of mass disinformation, this is more essential than ever 
• Communication skills: The digital world is all about connections. Children need to learn how to communicate effectively online, whether it’s through email, social media, or video conferencing. Each one of these has its own uses and unwritten rules of etiquette. 
• Problem-solving and creativity: Just like building with LEGO, the digital world offers endless possibilities. Children need the skills to solve technical problems, understand and work with computational tools, and create digital content. 
• Safety and security: Last, but most definitely not least, this is about staying safe online. The digital world can be a jungle, and just like teaching them to cross the street safely, we need to equip our kids with digital safety skills. This includes protecting their privacy, online hygiene, and understanding cyber threats. 

Why does this matter?

Here’s why I think digital literacy is an essential foundational skill, alongside literacy and numeracy, if we want our kids to be ready for the world of tomorrow: 

• Jobs of the future: Studies show that most future jobs will require some level of digital literacy¹. From marketing to healthcare, even construction, technology is woven into almost every career path. Without these skills, our children might be left behind.
• Lifelong learning: To survive and thrive in an ever-changing world, our kids need to be adaptable and constantly assessing and renewing their skillsets. Whether it’s researching information for a school project or upskilling for a new job, digital literacy opens doors to continuous learning².
• Global citizenship: The internet connects us like never before. Understanding different online cultures, respecting diverse viewpoints, and communicating effectively online are essential for being responsible global citizens³. I used to think this would happen naturally as people of different backgrounds started interacting, but it’s clear that the internet can be (mis)used as a tool for division as much as it can help bring us together. 
• Empowerment and independence: Just like reading empowers us to access information and express ourselves, digital literacy gives our children the tools⁴ to navigate the online world confidently and independently.

What you can do about it

If you’ve read this far, then you want to know what you can do, in practical terms, to help your kids to become digitally literate. First off, come to terms with the fact that this will probably be a learning experience for you. I think I’m digitally savvy but when I experience the online world through my kids’ eyes, I realise that there’s lots I don’t know and lots I’ve assumed everyone knows that need to be properly articulated. 

Part of that learning process has been to undertake a bunch of fun STEAM challenges with my kids, many of them online, from writing code to run in the International Space Station to designing a Lunar base using 3D software, all for free. Like Mary Poppins said, if you can find the fun, the job becomes a game. 

At this point in our journey, my kids are young enough that I have been easily able to set boundaries on their digital experience (limiting screen time or access to the internet), and I’ve not yet had to contend with the dreaded spectre of social media. So, I’m going to educate myself and share that with you, and I also invite you to share some of the things you’ve learnt in your own personal journeys.

1. Why ‘digital literacy’ is now a workplace non-negotiable – BBC Worklife ︎
2. Understanding and developing Digital Literacy | World of Better Learning, Cambridge University Press ︎
3. The Digital Literacy Imperative | Center for Strategic & International Studies ︎
4. Insights into young people’s literacy, critical digital literacy, online communication and wellbeing | National Literacy Trust ︎

The post What is Digital Literacy and Why Should You Care?  first appeared on Conflicted Parent.

We’re experiencing a profound shift as technology, society, and the environment transform the way we live, work, and learn. Literacy in the digital world is a hot topic. Businesses tell us that our school leavers are missing critical competencies and skills for the future, and that they are not being taught in schools. So, what can we do about it?

In this post, I explore how and why I think the system needs to change and the role parents can play in the face of an educational system that is slow to respond.

The Evolving Educational Landscape

Every day, there are more and more globally emerging trends that our children must grapple with. 

• Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation are throwing both opportunities and challenges at us, especially when it comes to human creativity, problem-solving, and working together.
• The digital revolution and globalisation are making the whole world a classroom with everything going online. Learning resources and opportunities are everywhere, making education more accessible and diverse. 
• The world is getting more complex and unpredictable. Learners need to be quick on their feet, ready to handle rapid changes and navigate through uncertainty and risk.
• Lastly, there are big issues like climate change, inequality, and human rights. Learners need to understand the world. Empathy, responsibility, and civic engagement are also for kids, not just for grown-ups.

These trends are challenging the traditional UK education system, the system that’s all about standardised assessments and putting heavy emphasis on memorisation, repeating facts, and individual performance. What’s even worse is that these assessment methods seem to promote a ‘me-first’ mentality: chasing attention, competition, and a need to be first. What’s more, research suggests that this can lead to bullying and exclusion for those at both the top and the bottom of the academic ladder¹.

Kids’ Literacy in the Digital World

Business leaders at the World Economic Forum (WEF) have defined the critical skills needed to succeed in the 21^st Century² – and, bad luck parents, our current system is not geared up to equip young learners with the competencies they need to succeed.

Trust me, this isn’t as complicated as it looks. I explain it further here.

You don’t even need to take the WEF’s word for it. In the UK, our own teachers and educational leaders are raising their voices in alarm stating loudly and clearly that ‘the current education system is too focused on qualifications at the expense of broader aims, and thereby is falling significantly short in preparing young people to thrive in the 21^st century.’³

Rethinking Education

To prepare our kids for the future, we need to rethink the education system, shifting away from a one-size-fits-all approach to a more personalised one. There are some key ingredients that educators believe are required to make the shift:

• Learner-Centred: Children’s interests and needs should be the map in their learning journey.
• Tech-Enabled: Learners should embrace the digital age, and be provided with a network of resources and opportunities through technology advancements. More on this in future posts!
• Project-Based: Students should be engaged in real-world projects that make a difference and unleash their creativity rather than be pumped with knowledge.
• Competency-Driven: Skills should be assessed – not kids’ ability to memorise information.

Many schools are introducing some of these ingredients, and there are some interesting educational trailblazers from which to take inspiration. Unfortunately though, changing an entire system is neither easy nor cheap.The bottom line is ‘Education is Hard’!

The Role of Parents

With the squeeze on public spending, the struggle to recruit teachers, the increasing cost of private schooling and the glacial pace of educational change, parents must step up. We cannot afford to be spectators in our children’s education. We have to support them by being:

• Lifelong Learners: Stay curious, update your skills, and explore new perspectives.
• Mentors and Coaches: Guide them and support their passions.
• Advocates and Changemakers: Work with teachers, volunteer at schools, become a school governor or trustee, engage with educational organisations.

It might sound like an impossible task, but as parents in this brave new world we have little option if we don’t want ourselves and our children to be left behind by the digital wave. And hey, we can try to have a bit of fun in the process!

1. Backing the ‘bullies’: why bullying is endemic in schools and what needs to change | Birmingham City University School of Education and Social Work ︎
2. 21st Century Skills | World Economic Forum ︎
3. HMC survey finds curriculum and assessment is no longer fit for purpose | HMC ︎

The post Kids’ Literacy in the Digital World first appeared on Conflicted Parent.

Ever find yourself surrounded by the chaos of kids’ shrieks, clattering pots and pans, and the hum of a laptop battling the demands of work and parenting at 5 pm on a weekday evening?

Welcome to my world, the kitchen table, doubling up as the Conflicted Family’s homework command centre. The kids are wrestling with the mysteries of addition and subtraction, shortly followed by reading the assigned books before tomorrow’s deadline, guitar practice and a chat about Edward Jenner (the science focus for this term), whose historical experiments on his gardener’s son provoke horrified reactions from my offspring.

Meanwhile, I find myself in the role of unofficial tutor, suppressing the urge to hide in the bathroom while Googling for a real tutor and checking out the cost of the nearby independent prep school with wraparound homework classes.

We all fall victim to the “peer pressure parenting” game, squeezing in extra classes, sacrifices galore, just to “keep up.” But sometimes I wonder – why are we playing? Deep down, I think kids should be running wild in the forest until at least the ripe old age of eight. At the same time, I break out in a cold sweat if my little one doesn’t crush their weekly spelling test.

As I laugh at my own contradiction, a sobering thought pops up: am I feeding the academic monster that I don’t even truly believe in? And, worse, is it even the right thing to do for my kids?

Between fractions, phonics and the ethical dilemmas of long-gone scientists, I wonder if any of this is really preparing my kids for the world hurtling towards us at warp speed? AI, entrepreneurship, emotional intelligence, digital literacy, creativity and critical thinking – the buzzwords of the future. Yet, our current educational systems seem to have missed the memo. Research suggests that future jobs need skills that are often overlooked in traditional education in the UK. Are our kids being left behind?

I love my kid’s teachers but I’m sceptical about the education system as a whole. I know that creativity and innovation are critical skills for my children but I still drill them on maths and English because I know that’s how they will be tested. I limit their screentime even though the future is digital. I’m the Conflicted Parent, caught between my ideals, the reality of today’s educational landscape, and the uncertainty of the future. And guess what? I know I’m not alone!

The post Welcome To My Conflicted World! first appeared on Conflicted Parent.