第1部分(第3/7 頁)

e　a　lot　of　money；　and　we　live　in　a　huge　house　with　lots　of　toys。　If　I　follow　your　advice；　I'll　wind　up　like　you；　working　harder　and　harder　only　to　pay　more　taxes　and　wind　up　in　debt。　There　is　no　job　security　anymore；　I　know　all　about　downsizing　and　rightsizing。　I　also　know　that　college　graduates　today　earn　less　than　you　did　when　you　graduated。　Look　at　doctors。　They　don't　make　nearly　as　much　money　as　they　used　to。　I　know　I　can't　rely　on　Social　Security　or　pany　pensions　for　retirement。　I　need　new　answers。〃

He　was　right。　He　needed　new　answers；　and　so　did　I。　My　parents'　advice　may　have　worked　for　people　born　before　1945；　but　it　may　be　disastrous　for　those　of　us　born　into　a　rapidly　changing　world。　No　longer　can　I　simply　say　to　my　children；　〃Go　to　school；　get　good　grades；　and　look　for　a　safe；　secure　job。〃

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　pound　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。

When　my　oldest　son　became　hopelessly　in　debt　with　his　credit　cards　as　a　freshman　in　college；　I　not　only　helped　him　destroy　the　credit　cards；　but　I　also　went　in　search　of　a　program　that　would　help　me　educate　my　children　on　financial　matters。

One　day　last　year；　my　husband　called　me　from　his　office。　〃I　have　someone　I　think　you　should　meet；〃　he　said。　〃His　name　is　Robert　Kiyo