Rumour has it that teenagers only worry about their phones and their friends. But what if they worry about money, too?
Research from the 2022 Junior Achievement Teens & Personal Finance Survey found that more than 54 per cent of teenagers feel unprepared for their financial futures.
One way parents could help their children feel more prepared is by addressing their money fears.
Uncover your teen’s money fears
There are several ways to learn about your teen’s money fears, but a good place to start is by looking at yours.
“[Parents] have to look at their own issues because what you bring to the table is what your kids are going to pick up, even if you tell them to do the opposite,” says Michele Paiva, a Pennsylvania-based licensed psychotherapist whose work focuses on trauma recovery, and financial education and therapy.
Get introspective about what your feelings about money are and how that might show up in your home.
For instance, if you’re always arguing with your partner about their or your spending habits, this could contribute to your teen developing insecurities about their ability to manage their finances.
Once you have looked within, explore learning about money as a family.
Ms Paiva says playing Monopoly is a fun way to spark money-related conversations. “Do I want to spend all of my money on property? If I land on someone, do I have enough money for rent? If I go to jail, do I have enough money to get out of jail?”
Conversations can go beyond a Monopoly board to asking scenario-based questions. Ask them what they’d do if they had $100 today, suggests LaQueshia Clemons, an accredited financial counsellor and licensed clinical social worker in Middletown, Connecticut.
“Use those types of questions to kind of gauge where they’re at and then, based on [the] child, go a little deeper to have that conversation with them,” she says.
Understand common money fears
Timmesha Butler-Davis, a clinical social worker, works with teenagers at a trauma-informed group in Camden, New Jersey, and they discuss money fears often.
A common one she comes across is teenagers – especially those who are growing up in poverty – having fears about not having enough to keep up with peers in terms of affording the same things.
“There is a lot of stress and worry and fears and feelings of judgement when it comes to kids who are currently living in poverty,” Ms Butler-Davis says.
“And it really does have a significant impact on the way that they feel about themselves, and so it affects their levels of self-esteem.”
Ms Butler-Davis also says teenagers have fears about not being able to make enough to sustain themselves. This money fear often comes from poverty as a form of chronic trauma, she adds.
Chronic trauma happens when you are repeatedly exposed to traumatic events. In this instance, it may relate to trauma caused by a lack of financial security.
“Often that trauma can lead into phases of post-traumatic stress disorder, where you see kids grow up to either have severely detached relationships with money or severely insufficient or maladaptive relationships with money,” Ms Butler-Davis says.
This can lead to people hoarding their money so they do not end up like their parents or spending it all, she adds.
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Develop a healthier relationship with money
Reversing your teenager’s money fears won’t happen in a day. However, with time and effort, you might help them turn those fears into confidence.
One way is through affirmations, which is a form of encouragement, says Ms Clemons.
“One thing I love is, ‘I am in control of my success’, and what success means for every person could be different,” she says.
She suggests exploring what success looks like for your child and reminding them they are in control of that success.
Depending on what your child’s money fears are, another way to help them is by providing them with financial literacy, says Ms Butler-Davis.
This could help a child who is worried about how they will pay for college or keep up with expenses when they become an adult.
Being actively engaged could look like taking them to open a savings account or teaching them about credit cards. You could also practice budgeting with them and let them shadow your financial planning activities.
Finally, for children who are afraid they are not valuable if they do not have tonnes of money, you can help them by reorienting how they determine their value.
“The biggest thing is knowing that you as a person are valuable no matter what you have, but also that your value is not placed in the money that you have,” Ms Paiva says.
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Power: 905hp
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Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
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Power: 420hp
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Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
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Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
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Sand storm
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BOSH!'s pantry essentials
Nutritional yeast
This is Firth's pick and an ingredient he says, "gives you an instant cheesy flavour". He advises making your own cream cheese with it or simply using it to whip up a mac and cheese or wholesome lasagne. It's available in organic and specialist grocery stores across the UAE.
Seeds
"We've got a big jar of mixed seeds in our kitchen," Theasby explains. "That's what you use to make a bolognese or pie or salad: just grab a handful of seeds and sprinkle them over the top. It's a really good way to make sure you're getting your omegas."
Umami flavours
"I could say soya sauce, but I'll say all umami-makers and have them in the same batch," says Firth. He suggests having items such as Marmite, balsamic vinegar and other general, dark, umami-tasting products in your cupboard "to make your bolognese a little bit more 'umptious'".
Onions and garlic
"If you've got them, you can cook basically anything from that base," says Theasby. "These ingredients are so prevalent in every world cuisine and if you've got them in your cupboard, then you know you've got the foundation of a really nice meal."
Your grain of choice
Whether rice, quinoa, pasta or buckwheat, Firth advises always having a stock of your favourite grains in the cupboard. "That you, you have an instant meal and all you have to do is just chuck a bit of veg in."
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