How do you talk about FIRE/frugality to your preteen/teen kids?

[Exhale]

Wondering how folks talk about FIRE/frugality to their preteen/teen kids? How does it go over? Do your kids resist or jump on board? What successful ways have you found to explain?

[Laserjet3051]

Rather than lecture my 15 year old daughter, I use everyday experiences as opportunities to discuss the time value of money, the monetary value of time, being aware of costs, getting the best value for our $, sitting on a prospective purchase for a while before making the buy.

Everyday we have at least half a dozen opportunities for such discussions: e.g. 1) dad can I have $ for school lunch? 2) Dad, i need $ for book covers, 3) dad can you drive me to the store?, 4) discussions on the value of her getting a job this year, 5) why equity markets are tanking today, 6) why she needs to clean/care for item X (buy it for life).

Abstract discussions (#5) dont engage her well. But real life impact for her (#1-#4, #6) get a real engaging discussion going. Shes neither resistant nor "on board" with frugality. Little by little she comes to learn and understand. The headwinds of blind consumer consumption blow, and blow hard they do. Our discussions will hopefully temper such winds.

Yesterday, I asked her why she wanted more money which of course resulted in the expected response. But I then queried her on why she wanted those "things." Which got her to start the necessary critical thought. It may take a decade or two for her to arrive at honest answers.

[Highbeam]

I include them in looking at balance sheets, progress, even saying "we made 6000$ today for doing nothing!". I want to keep us talking about money and not keeping secrets.

We go grocery shopping together and make a list first. Then we purchase the cheapest product on a per lb or whatever unit basis. They get the economies of scale this way. I also teach them my quirks like not buying the product on the front of the shelf, but the newer one behind it.

[Mother Fussbudget]

I would start with this thread from the "Mini-mustaches" sub-forum: 
"Google-docs template for BankOfMMM-like spreadsheet to teach kids about money"

[ahoy]

All fantastic advice above.

For my kids oldest 13 and a couple of yrs younger it's going pretty good (right now).  I think what really helped us was that we traveled for two years and very quickly you realize there is just no room at all for stuff.  the kids just don't seem to see the need to spend money (at the moment - hoping it will last).   However, as a family we buy what we need, very little wants.  They know that if they want something they need to use their money, and they usually don't want to spend it.  They seem to be okay with all this for now, hopefully this will continue into adulthood.

[Exhale]

Thanks for your comments everyone - very interesting to hear how you're handling this.