Kids Listen to Only Half the Financial Advice Parents Give Them—Here's How to Make It Count

Do you remember that classic question—if you were stranded on a deserted island, what three things would you take with you?

It's not so different from talking to your kids about money.

According to a survey conducted by Talker Research on behalf of the international money app Wise, American parents give their children an average of 114 pieces of financial advice every year. On average, their kids ask for advice about four times a month. Parents, in turn, offer unsolicited tips about five times a month—adding up to more than 100 bits of guidance over the year.

But here's the twist: kids listen to just 54% of it.

You only get so much time. So much attention. So much space to make an impact.

So the real question becomes: what do you want them to take with them?

Parents Are Doing Their Best—But the Rules Have Changed

Even with the best intentions, many parents feel uncertain about the advice they're giving. In fact, 40% worry their kids will eventually "outgrow" their guidance—especially as money becomes more digital, more global, and more complex.

Most parents feel confident when it comes to basic money topics like budgeting (55%), savings (52%), and credit cards (41%). But confidence drops sharply in areas like debt (32%), credit scores (32%), and even more when it comes to international finance (4%), currency conversion (11%), or sending money abroad (14%).

Nearly three-quarters (74%) of parents say managing money is more complicated now than when they were kids. And one of the biggest reasons? The internet. While it makes financial information more accessible, 48% of parents say it's hard to know what to trust.

Even everyday tools—like money transfer apps or budgeting platforms—can feel overwhelming when you're trying to keep up with changing tech, not to mention warning your child about online scams or financial traps.

And while parents are doing their best to guide their kids, it's clear that those early lessons about money aren't happening in banks or around the dinner table anymore. They're happening online—often without us noticing.

Kids Are Learning About Money Online—Whether We Know It or Not

Kids don't just learn from what we say. They learn from what they see. And these days, their first experience with money isn't counting coins or saving allowance. It's happening online.

Many children today get their first taste of money through the games they play. Think about the last time your child asked to buy in-game currency, a skin, or a loot box. These small purchases teach them about spending—often without truly understanding the value behind it.

And it's not just games. Kids are exposed to money-related decisions on social media, in mobile apps, and even through YouTube creators promoting the latest must-have digital item. Sometimes, that experience comes with risk. Scammers have figured out how to sneak into these spaces, offering fake giveaways, shady links, or tricking kids into sharing login details.

For a child, losing a few dollars might not seem like a big deal. But these early moments shape how they view money, spending, and trust online.

The sooner we treat these moments as teachable ones, the better chance we have of raising kids who are not just money-smart—but scam-smart, too.

This Financial Literacy Month, Pause and Reset

April is Financial Literacy Month, and while it's a great moment to talk about savings goals and family budgets, it's also a chance to check in on how your family handles money online.

Because teaching kids about money today has to include teaching them how to stay safe online, this means recognizing scams, protecting their personal information, avoiding suspicious links, and understanding that not every online deal is legit.

If you haven't already, take this month as an opportunity to sit down with your child and ask questions like:

• Do you know what to do if a friend sends you a suspicious link?
• How do you decide whether to trust an online offer?
• Do you understand how in-app purchases work?

Related: Cash Apps for Kids: Risks and Safety Tips for Families

4 Simple Ways to Help Kids Build Safe Money Habits—Starting Online

These small steps can help you guide your child through their first online money moments—and help them build habits that last:

1.      Talk about in-app purchases.

Games and apps are full of tempting offers—extra lives, new outfits, cool upgrades. But those small in-app purchases can add up quickly, especially when kids don’t fully understand the value of money yet.

Help your child see the difference between something they want right now and something that’s actually worth the cost. Explain how these purchases are real money—even if they don’t come out of their pocket directly—and show them how to check prices and ask for permission before spending.

For more guidance on how to have this conversation, including how to explain things like loot boxes, check out our article: How to Explain Loot Boxes and In-Game Purchases to Kids

2. Set up spending limits

One of the simplest ways to avoid surprise charges is to put clear limits in place. Many apps and devices allow you to set up child accounts, require approval for purchases, or block spending entirely unless a parent gives the OK.

Using parental controls is a great way to teach kids responsibility while still keeping things safe. You can set internet time limits, block access to specific apps, or keep an eye on how money is being used in games and digital stores.

Bitdefender Parental Control —included in all our paid family plans—makes this easier. It’s designed to help you manage internet time, control app usage, and stay in the loop about what your child is doing online, so you can support them without hovering.

3. Teach them to pause before clicking

In a world full of pop-ups, messages, and tempting offers, teaching your child to pause and think before they click is one of the most important habits you can build together.

Scammers often disguise harmful links as something exciting—a free skin for their favorite game, a surprise prize, or even a message that looks like it’s from a friend.

Help your child understand that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Teach them to ask you first if they’re unsure, and explain why it’s better to check twice than deal with the fallout from clicking a bad link.

You don’t need to scare them—just keep the tone open and curious. “That looks cool, but do you know who sent it?” or “Let’s look at that together” can go a long way.

4. Use tools that protect the whole family

Good security software does more than just block viruses—it helps protect your entire digital life, including your child’s. From sneaky scams and risky websites to unsafe apps and oversharing, the right tools can make a big difference.

Bitdefender’s all-in-one family plans are designed to keep every member of your household safe across all their devices. You can set internet time limits, filter web content, control app access, and even spot scams before they ever reach your child. It’s like having an extra layer of digital parenting support, always working in the background.

Check out our plans for families and see how easy it is to stay protected—together.

You Don't Have to Know Everything—Just Be Open to Learning

It's okay not to have all the answers. The online world moves fast, and financial tools change quickly. What matters most is staying open, asking questions, and using resources that help you feel more confident—so your child can feel more confident, too.

You're already doing a lot just by showing up and caring.

And if you're looking for more ways to protect your family from online financial threats, take a look at our article below.

 April is Financial Literacy Month—Here's How to Protect Yourself from Online Financial Scams