I knew I had to look for new ways to guide my children's education. As a mother as well as an accountant, I have been concerned by the lack of financial education our children receive in school. Many of today's youth have credit cards before they leave high school, yet they have never had a course in money or how to invest it, let alone understand how compound interest works on credit cards. Simply put, without financial literacy and the knowledge of how money works, they are not prepared to face the world that awaits them, a world in which spending is emphasized over savings | Rich Dad Poor Dad INTRODUCTION There is a Need Does school prepare children for the real world Study hard and get good grades and you will find a high-paying job with great benefits my parents used to say. Their goal in life was to provide a college education for my older sister and me so that we would have the greatest chance for success in life. When I finally earned my diploma in 1976-graduating with honors and near the top of my class in accounting from Florida State University-my parents had realized their goal. It was the crowning achievement of their lives. In accordance with the Master Plan I was hired by a Big 8 accounting firm and I looked forward to a long career and retirement at an early age. My husband Michael followed a similar path. We both came from hard-working families of modest means but with strong work ethics. Michael also graduated with honors but he did it twice first as an engineer and then from law school. He was quickly recruited by a prestigious Washington . law firm that specialized in patent law and his future seemed bright career path well-defined and early retirement guaranteed. Although we have been successful in our careers they have not turned out quite as we expected. We both have changed positions several times-for all the right reasons-but there are no pension plans vesting on our behalf. Our retirement funds are growing only through our individual contributions. Michael and I have a wonderful marriage with three great children. As I write this two are in college and one is just beginning high school. We have spent a fortune making sure our children have received the best education available. One day in 1996 one of my children came home disillusioned with school. He was bored and tired of studying. Why should I put time into studying subjects I will never use in real life he protested. Without thinking I responded Because if you don t get good grades you won t get into college. Regardless of whether I go to college he .
