5 Money Conversations to Have with your Children at Dinner Tonight

By LearnWithEbba | November 2025

After 15 years advising ultra-high-net-worth clients in Zurich and London—managing portfolios worth hundreds of millions—I thought I knew everything about money.

Then I had my daughter Ebba.

She's only 18 months old now, but I find myself thinking about all the money conversations we'll have in the future. What will I say when she asks where money comes from? How will I explain saving without making it sound boring? How do I avoid the mistakes my own parents made?

I could explain VWAP trading strategies to a billionaire. I could structure multi-currency loans for real estate investments. But explaining to a child why we work for money in a way that makes sense? That's a whole different challenge.

So I started planning. Here are the 5 money conversations I'm preparing for—practical, real-world approaches that skip the lectures and get to what actually matters.

Conversation #1: "Where Does Money Actually Come From?"

Why this matters: Most kids think money comes from ATMs or credit cards. They don't connect work with income.

The typical question: "Why do you go to work?" or "Can't we just get more money from the bank machine?"

What I'll say:

Instead of a vague "we work to earn money," I'll make it concrete:

"Remember how you helped me organize the toys yesterday? That was work—you did something helpful and I was grateful. That's what I do at my job. I help people make smart choices with their money, and they pay me for that help. The money I earn goes into the bank, and when we need it, we can take it out—but only what we put in. The Bancomat isn't magic; it's just holding our money safely."

The key principle: Connect work directly to value provided. Make it specific to what you actually do, not some generic explanation about "working hard."

Why this approach works: Kids understand trading favors and help. They get that when someone does something useful, you give them something in return. Money is just the standardized version of that exchange.

Your version tonight:

Think about what you actually do for work. Can you explain it in one simple sentence? Practice saying it out loud without jargon. That's the explanation you'll use when your kid asks.

Conversation #2: "Needs vs. Wants—The Foundation of Every Financial Decision"

Why this matters: This is the bedrock of all financial literacy. I've advised UHNW clients who still struggle with this distinction.

The typical scenario: Your child wants everything at the store—toys, snacks, more toys.

What I'll do:

Turn it into a sorting exercise, not a lecture:

"Let's figure out which things we NEED to have, and which things would be nice to have. We need food to eat and warm clothes when it's cold. We want toys and treats—they're fun, but we'd be okay without them. In our family, we always buy needs first. Then, if we have money left over, we can choose some wants."

The key principle: Don't demonize "wants." They're not bad—they're just optional. Frame it as priorities, not restrictions.

Real-world application: At the grocery store, I'll point out: "We need milk and vegetables. The chocolate? That's a want. We can get one treat today, so let's choose carefully."

Why this approach works: It gives kids a mental framework for decision-making that they'll use forever. Every financial choice is essentially: Is this a need or a want? And if it's a want, is it worth it?

Your version tonight:

Practice categorizing things around your house as "needs" vs "wants" in your own mind. You'll be surprised how clarifying it is—even for you.

Conversation #3: "What Would You Do With 100 Francs?"

Why this matters: This reveals their values, impulses, and understanding of money's potential. It's also a safe way to let them "practice" big financial decisions.

The setup:

Give them a hypothetical: "Imagine someone gives you 100 francs for your birthday. What would you do with it?"

What I'll do next:

Listen to their first answer without judgment, then gently introduce the concept of options:

"That's one way to use it! Here's something interesting—what if I told you that if you saved some of it in a special account, it could grow into MORE money over time? Like if you saved 50 francs, in a few years it might become 60 or 70 francs without you doing anything. Then you could buy something even better later."

The key principle: Plant the seed of delayed gratification and growth without forcing it. Let them wrestle with the tension between "now" and "later."

Follow-up: "There's no wrong answer here. Some people spend it all right away. Some save it all. Most split it up—spend some, save some. What feels right to you?"

Why this approach works: It introduces trade-offs and opportunity cost naturally. You're not lecturing—you're presenting options and letting them think it through.

Your version tonight:

Ask your partner or yourself: "If you suddenly got 1,000 francs, what would you do with it?" The conversation that follows will show you how you actually think about money—and what you want to teach.

Conversation #4: "How Do We Decide What to Buy?"

Why this matters: Trade-offs are the essence of financial planning. I learned this managing portfolios worth hundreds of millions—you can't buy everything. You choose based on priorities.

The typical scenario: Your child wants something expensive, and you need to explain why "not now" doesn't mean "never."

What I'll say:

Frame it as their choice, not my restriction:

"You want that toy that costs 30 francs. You have 30 francs saved, so you could buy it today. But remember, you're also saving for the art set that costs 50 francs. If you buy the toy now, it means waiting longer for the art set—maybe two more months. If you wait on the toy, you could get the art set sooner. What matters more to you right now?"

The key principle: Empower them to make the decision. Let them feel the weight of the choice. Don't rescue them from it.

What happens next: They might choose the instant gratification. That's fine. The lesson is in the experience of running out of money and having to wait for the bigger thing they wanted.

Why this approach works: Financial literacy isn't about always making the "right" choice. It's about understanding that choices have consequences and learning to align spending with values.

Your version tonight:

Think of a recent purchase you made. What did you NOT buy because you chose that instead? Share that story—even with yourself. It's practice for the real conversation.

Conversation #5: "What's the Most Important Thing Money Can Buy?"

Why this matters: This is about values, not finance. But it shapes every money decision we make for life.

The eventual question: "Why do some people have more money than others?" or "Are we rich?"

What I'll say:

"I work with people who have a LOT of money—more than we could spend in a lifetime. And you know what I've learned? The happiest ones use their money to buy time with people they love, and to help others. Money can't buy happiness directly, but it can buy freedom. Freedom to spend time with family, to work on things you care about, to help people who need it. That's what money is really for."

The key principle: Money is a tool for living your values, not an end in itself.

Follow-up: "That's why we make choices about money. We could buy lots of little things all the time, or we could save for the things that really matter—like family trips, or helping someone in need, or having choices when you're grown up."

Why this approach works: It connects financial decisions to purpose. Kids need to understand the "why" behind the "what."

Your version tonight:

Ask yourself: What has money allowed you to do that you're most grateful for? That answer is what you teach your kids about money's purpose.

Why I'm Thinking About This Now (When She Can't Even Talk Yet)

Here's the truth: I didn't plan to become a financial educator for kids.

But after 15 years in wealth management—from trading equities on the UBS desk to advising UHNW clients across Zurich and London—I've seen the same pattern over and over:

The people with the most financial confidence started learning young.

Not in business school. Not from a financial advisor. At home, through small conversations that became habits.

I've watched brilliant, successful people stress about money unnecessarily because nobody taught them the basics. I've seen wealthy clients pass on bad money habits to their kids despite having every advantage.

And I thought: If Ebba is going to grow up financially confident, I need to start preparing these conversations now. Not when she asks. Before.

That's why I'm creating resources, writing a book, and building LearnWithEbba. Because financial education shouldn't start at 18 with a credit card. It should start at 4 with a conversation and a story.

Your Next Step

Pick ONE of these conversations and think through how you'd explain it in your own words.

You don't need to be a finance expert. You just need to be honest, clear, and willing to talk about money like it's normal—because it is.

And if you want conversation starters, prompts, and a simple tracker to help you navigate these talks, I've created a free 5-Minute Financial Literacy Starter Kit with everything you need to start.

Because the best financial education doesn't happen in a classroom. It happens at your table, in your car, during everyday moments.

Let's raise a generation that feels confident—not confused—about money.

What money conversations are you dreading—or looking forward to—with your kids? I'd love to hear what's on your mind.

About Hermina

I spent 15+ years in wealth management—from equity trading at UBS to advising ultra-high-net-worth clients across Zurich and London. Now I'm building LearnWithEbba to help families have the money conversations I wish I'd had growing up. I'm also writing a children's book about financial confidence through storytelling—because kids deserve better than worksheets. My daughter Ebba is 18 months old, and I'm preparing now for all the questions she'll ask in the years to come.

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