Speak Up: She knows biology but not a budget? What Arizonans are failing to teach girls before graduation

Metro Creative Connection

Girls Rule Foundation’s Dena Patton sparked conversation when she wrote about why it’s more important than ever for Arizonans to equip their teen girls with the skills they need to manage their money.  Here’s what NextDoor readers had to say:

• “Maybe parents should teach kids how to run a household, just like they always have.” — Laura Eggink
• “Laura, you are so right. Kids are learning to be lazier. They are too buried into their electronic devices because parents let them.” — Tamara A.
• “Parents need to step up.” — Jean Gabrenya
• “Teaching kids money management should start as soon as they realize what money is. Like, if they see a toy they want, they can save their allowance for it or do jobs to earn the money. Also, they can be required to put a certain amount into “long term” savings. Either a parent can hold onto it or open an account in a bank. And even though you teach money management, it doesn’t mean your child will do it when they start making their own money.— Marla P.
• “Aren’t the girls in the same requisite classes as boys? I was taught to ‘think like a man’ and ‘act like a lady.’ I chuckle to myself when I am accepted in more male groups than women groups.” — Dorothy M Neddermeyer
• “For all the demand for parental control of curricula and teachers, why aren’t parents organizing to provide this information. Either in their own family, or through Scouts or YMCA or…?” — Charlotte Thomas
• “It’s not like they are succeeding in teaching boys to budget, they are failing all kids by not teaching them to budget and to understand the full cost of borrowing. They need to understand how credit products such as care credit work, including reading the fine print. They need to explore ways of living within their income. And this needs to be taught to all teens, not just girls.” — Tina T.