Child's play
The value of money and an appreciation of its worth are not easy concepts for children. Kate Whitehead talks to money professionals making a game of it
Many parents shy away from teaching their kids about the birds and the bees, but sex education isn't the only awkward subject - talking about money can be just as tricky.
The good news is there's help at hand. The last decade has seen a steady increase in support systems to nurture financial awareness in the young, from classes to cartoons.
"You can start teaching about money very young, when they first ask about it, which may be as early as three or four depending on the kid. My children were talking about money in some form when they were three years old," says Sean Rach, regional director, brand and corporate affairs at Prudential Asia and father of two.
Rach headed up the Prudential team that partnered with Cartoon Network to create Cha-Ching, a financial literacy programme launched in 2011 to help parents in Asia instil money-smart values in children. It is aired on the Cartoon Network in seven markets: Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Cha-Ching uses an "edutainment" approach to develop children's understanding of what is described as the four money pillars: earning, saving, spending and donating. These four concepts are made relevant to children through the Cha-Ching rock band made up of six characters, each with a different attitude to money.