Finance Whiz Kids Provides Youths with Financial Foundation

SAVINGS, SPENDING, AND THE VALUE OF A DOLLAR 

SPECIAL FOR THE AJT

Author Darrah Brustein is the creator and driving force behind Finance Whiz Kids. When Brustein was at a young age, her parents introduced financial education into the home through allowance and chore systems, savings programs, investments, and giving back. Upon graduation from Emory University, and beginning her first full-time job, Brustein realized that few of her peers had received the same financial training. Many of her peers seemed ill-equipped with the tools to navigate their own newfound independent finances.

Watching many of them live paycheck-to-paycheck, even with well-paying jobs, Brustein realized that this was not unique, but rather, the norm. Unsure as to how to make a difference, she realized that trying to retrain adults out of their lifelong habits and ideas around money would be tough. Therefore, she decided that sharing valuable financial lessons with children, whose minds are still open and malleable, would be the ideal place to start.

Brustein spoke with many parents who felt uneasy teaching their children about money. So, she created Finance Whiz Kids to teach children directly about money through engaging stories. By setting an early foundation about savings, spending, and the value of a dollar, we can help future generations find themselves in a more stable financial environment than we know today.

So far, Brustein has written a series of six books. The first book in the series has been published and is available on Amazon and on the Finance Whiz Kids website. At the conclusion of each book is an appendix, to assist parents in instituting the lessons from the stories. Having gained financial insight along with their new friends in the books, children can then emulate and experience each lesson themselves.

Book topics for elementary aged audiences include: the value of money, the mystery of the ATM (from where does money come?), giving back, savings, investing, and balance.