By now I’m sure you’ve heard our government officially shut down this week! National parks closed their gates and businesses who rely on tourism sit, just waiting for the political stalemate to end.

Our nation’s economy is in shambles as we constantly raise debt ceilings, taxes and yet another recession hangs over our head. When I was growing up, my family lived on government and state aid, finding any loophole they could to support their drug habits without having to actually work.

Financially, I certainly couldn’t rely on my parents to teach me about personal wealth. Likewise, we cannot put our personal futures, our economic futures or income in the hands of the government.

Who is teaching your kids about wealth?

Because if you aren’t, you’re leaving it to chance. Honestly, they will learn it from the media and from watching you. Schools aren’t teaching this and the government certainly isn’t responsible for it — you are. Start training your kids to take control of their financial futures now. It’s never too late…or too early.

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We all wonder what we’re leaving behind for our children in whatever future may come. People worry about Social Security, but the issue is so much bigger than that. If you are in debt, obsessed with stuff and living paycheck to paycheck… those are the habits you are passing on to your children.

You do the math and figure out how many hours your kids will spend in school from kindergarten to 12th grade, based on a 7.5 hour day. Now, just a little more math: out of ALL those hours, how much time do you think will be spent teaching them how to make wise money decisions?

How outraged would you be if your child graduated without knowing how to read, spell, add or subtract? Yet, we blindly accept the fact our kids are not equipped with equally “basic” skills required for success!

Who is to blame for that? US News & World Report revealed that 3 out of 4 parents have admitted to not being honest with their own children about money and their own personal finances.

So where the heck are your kids going to learn this stuff? Forget worrying about debt ceilings, investment bailouts and Social Security, this generation has already been set up to fail.

You’ve created a fantasy in your child’s mind of where money comes from. Simply brushing off the topic with comments like, “We just can’t afford it” or the dreaded “Because I said so” isn’t teaching them anything. I cannot stress enough the importance of sitting down and explaining to your kids the “WHY” behind financial decisions.

Look, wise personal financial practices start in your household, not in the White House. Make a point to involve the kids in your family financial planning. Set financial goals for the whole family, and work together toward those goals. This way, your kids are not only learning information, but they are seeing it in action. They are learning by doing.

This week is the perfect opportunity to start! Use today’s message to start the conversation. Even print it out or talk about it at the dinner table. Leave me your comments on Facebook and Twitter. And, remember to share it, start the change in every household.

The Dani Johnson Show will be live this Sunday night. Grab a pen and notepad, and meet me on your TV, radio, smartphone or computer at 9pm ET/8pm CT.

In great faith,

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