Early Childhood

It’s never too early to start preparing your child for a successful future. The path to academic success beyond high school begins in early childhood with proper development and continues throughout a child’s life as they learn the skills and habits to become successful adults.

As a role model, you help shape your child’s future and that should include higher education. Over a lifetime, college graduates earn about $1 million more than high school graduates. Any education beyond high school greatly improves your child’s earning potential. It’s essential to start now by planning ahead, saving up and helping your child set goals for the future.

That’s why UCanGo2 partnered with early childhood experts Smart Start Oklahoma to develop a new publication called From Cradle to College — a guide designed to help new parents build a college-going culture in the home from birth. From Cradle to College helps parents identify developmental milestones and teaches them how to enrich playtime and maximize learning opportunities. The guide also offers advice on making learning a priority, discussing college with older children and planning ahead for college costs. For more information or to request a copy of the guide, contact us at 866.443.7420 (toll-free) or UCanGo2@ogslp.org.

Make College a Priority

For students to feel college is an expectation, parents must demonstrate the importance of school, learning and self-improvement. Here are a few ways you can make education a priority in your home:

• Help your child maintain regular attendance at school so he or she sees that school is more important than other activities.
• Make sure your child is reaching developmental milestones and receiving health screenings.
• Focus on homework, because how you deal with homework now will set a standard for your child’s entire school career.
• Keep in touch with the teacher and attend parent/teacher conferences so you can stay informed about your child’s progress.
• Show respect for your school officials, even if you don’t agree with them. Solve disputes when your child isn’t present.
• Support and encourage your child’s interest. If your child enjoys science or music, explore the subject more by buying books and provide opportunities to visit science museums or attend a concert.

Why is college so important for your child? A college education will help your child find the best jobs and the best salary, but it can also help develop communication, social and critical thinking skills that will benefit your child in the workplace.

While we're on the subject, higher education isn't just for your kids. You can also increase your earning potential and job security by completing a degree. Jobs, family and other obligations can make it difficult to go back to college, but Oklahoma's universities have expanded programs to fit into your busy life. The Reach Higher program is your second chance to finish your degree - while you keep your normal routine, maintain your normal work hours and still have time for your family. Learn more at ReachHigherOklahoma.org.

Saving for College

The Oklahoma 529 College Savings Plan is a smart, tax-advantaged way to help save for a child's - or anyone's - higher education costs. The program offers great tax advantages including an Oklahoma tax deduction, a choice of investment options and the flexibility to use your savings at thousands of higher education institutions in the United States and abroad. For more information, call 877.OK.4.SAVING (toll-free) or visit Ok4Saving.org.

Teaching your child about money

Whether you realize it or not, you influence your children’s feelings about money. Help them understand money and teach them to use it wisely; this is one of the greatest lessons your children can learn! Not sure how to make it happen? Here are some ideas to consider:

• Start early. As soon as children can count, teach them to count money. Take an active role by letting them help you count change to pay for items at a store and count change received from a teller. Role play cash exchanges at home. Observation and repetition are two important ways children learn.
• Be honest. Talk openly with your kids about money. There’s nothing to be afraid of or embarrassed about. Avoid saying “we don’t have the money” - the fact is, we often do have the money; we’re just choosing to dedicate it elsewhere. Instead, teach the concept of opportunity cost by telling your children why you’re not spending money in that way (e.g. we have bills to pay first, we’re saving extra money for our vacation, etc.). The more children understand about choices surrounding money, the more equipped they'll be to make smart choices in their own lives.
• Set an example. Show and explain to your kids that managing money is about preparing and planning. Involve them in the family budget; let them see you deposit paychecks and visit the bank. Also, help them understand the difference between needs and wants, the source of your household income and the pros and cons of using credit.

You can create wealth by giving your children a legacy of financial education to help them grow and thrive. Prosperity, after all, begins at home! Learn more about money management concepts for children at OklahomaMoneyMatters.org.