Of the many things that I hope to teach Aurora during her time with me, one of the biggest is financial responsibility. Not in a Kiyosaki "Rich Dad, Poor Dad' way - not that there's anything wrong with his books, he makes some good points and illustrates his theories well - but more just teaching her that ... wait for it, an almost Jedi like statement coming ... with great power comes great responsibility (duh). Honestly though, I want her to understand the value of money (sounds funny I know), the power of money (good and bad) and develop her own educated philosophy towards it. Too many people I think become overwhelmed by the concept, run from the responsibility, don't understand what money can do for them (good and bad). I want her to understand that there is a place for charity for those that have the capacity. There is a place for debt and credit, when used responsibly. I want her to understand frivolous spending; when it should and shouldn't occur (and yes, sometimes it needs to occur). I want her to understand her value in relation to money as well. I have a lot of people in my life who are really tightarsed when it comes to money, to the point where it affects their relationship with others. I've also seen people devalue themselves for the sake of just having more money - in this vicious circle where its clearly never going to get to the point where they are comfortable spending this amassed amount on themselves. (These tend to be the same people who hoard every scrap of anything they come across in the hope that it will be useful one day). And I can't sit on a high horse and espouse these wonderful philosophies without saying that a.) it took me a few years to get my head around it, and b.) there's always more to learn. I don't want her to stress about money (some might say a difficult concept without wealth -but I don't think so). I want her to be able to manage her own finances when she's ready.

OK, so that's money taken care of. Next lesson; communication.