When I started college, the opportunity to obtain a student's credit card was not there. Today, young people and high school students get offers directly to them in the mail. Times have changed. My mom and dad, I probably would have cringed at the thought of having my own credit card at the age of 18 years. Times have really changed and we as parents must look at this scenario very different from our parents then did.
In today's society if we do not have a credit card is really difficult to do much of anything. You may not rent a car, for example. What if your child is out of college and they need to get home. A tour by car in most cases is much less expensive after a flight, but with a credit card of some kind, simply can not rent the car. This is just one example of the many scenarios that have a credit card is required.
Of course, do not misunderstand me. Only one shipment of 18 years, a credit card with no instructions or explanations is definitely a dangerous situation. We as parents need to help them understand the pit falls and the benefits of credit cards and loans.
Perhaps a bit before you start in life, like the 16 years is a good year to teach your child about credit cards and loans. That does not mean we have to get a student credit card at that time. What it means is to teach them about their credit. How to build your credit and obtain credit cards, car and home? If you have some struggles along the way. Do not hide that from them. Let them know. They might be able to learn from your mistakes.
Explain the importance of credit and how to build a productive way, but will also slow to be useful for them. Explain that you do not just graduate from college and get a job to buy new car or home. Is something we have to work sometimes in a few years. Knowledge is a powerful tool and preparing your child for the future is also power. In fact, he wished them all the power it can to make it a success.
As parents we must change our way of thinking when it comes to teaching our children. Let them know the bad and the good. Not all, but some of these kids learn from it. Unfortunately, people have to learn from that experience before, and that is fine too. If they start the wrong way, you can take a year or two, but will be able to fix it. So I encourage all parents out there to take the initiative to teach children about their credit. The student credit card offers are out there and very easy for them to obtain. Thus, the changes will be obtained with or without your knowledge. Therefore, knowing what we teach them how to handle this new power.
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