Financial Literacy Month - Where are the teachers?

Here's a photo from 100 years ago of a family. From what we know of their life, I think it was simple and not too complicated. People made their own houses, furniture, clothing and purchased a few things from a general store in town.

Fruits, vegetables and chickens would have come from their own land. They talked to one another, ate dinner together, read the Bible together and prayed together.

Sunday was church day and probably their only day of relaxation.

Well, we sure have advanced! We have so many electronic, computerized, digitized gadgets and gizmos that adults and children alike are overwhelmed. They are not time savers really, and in fact most people aren't even get the sleep they should. Instead of all these "conveniences" saving us time and giving us more time to relax and be together, perhaps even talking to each other, our days are longer than ever!

Where did we go wrong?

Are we happier than the folks in this picture? I don't think so! Do we get a good night's sleep like they did? Not likely!

You get the idea and you may even agree with some of what I am saying.

I read an article today declaring April, 2009 FINANCIAL LITERACY MONTH!

The article says that parents should be talking to their children - especially ones on their way to college about how to manage money!

Hello? Heck, you just have to read a paper or watch a TV newscast to see how well so-called adults are managing their money!

The wealthier people appear, the more they owe! People getting bonused for non-performance at companies who have failed now operating on borrowing government money. "Government money" - that's us - we the people, you know!

Whoa! Living better in 2009 than 100 years ago - perhaps not!