The Opposite of Spoiled

The Opposite of Spoiled addresses how parents can teach children about money while instilling core values. Through research and real-world examples, New York Times columnist Ron Lieber presents approaches for navigating allowances, spending, saving, and charitable giving. The book tackles common parental concerns like when to discuss family finances, how to handle materialism, and what to say about income inequality. Lieber incorporates interviews with families across socioeconomic backgrounds who have developed strategies for raising financially responsible kids. Lieber examines specific scenarios including birthday parties, tooth fairy payments, cell phone bills, and college costs. He provides frameworks for age-appropriate conversations and suggests practical tools families can implement. At its core, this book explores how financial education intersects with character development and family values. The strategies aim to foster gratitude, modesty, and generosity while preparing children for financial independence.

Readers value the practical advice and conversation starters about teaching children financial responsibility. Many cite the concrete examples, scripts for difficult money discussions, and research-backed approaches as strengths. Specific praise focuses on: - Clear guidelines for age-appropriate allowances - Methods for teaching charitable giving - Tips for handling materialism and "wants vs needs" Common criticisms: - Content skews toward upper-middle-class families - Some concepts feel repetitive - Limited advice for families in financial hardship A frequent note is that the book works better as a reference guide than a cover-to-cover read. Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (2,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (380+ ratings) Sample reader comment: "Great framework for teaching kids about money, but assumes readers have disposable income." - Goodreads reviewer Several parents report successfully implementing the book's allowance system and gratitude practices with their children.

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🔹 Ron Lieber is a personal finance columnist for The New York Times, where his "Your Money" column has earned him three Gerald Loeb Awards, one of business journalism's highest honors. 🔹 The book stemmed from a viral article Lieber wrote about how to handle children's questions about money, which generated over 400 comments from parents sharing their own experiences. 🔹 Research cited in the book shows that children as young as three years old can grasp basic money concepts, and by age seven, many of their money habits are already set. 🔹 The term "spoiled" appears in print as early as the 1600s, but its use to describe overindulged children didn't become common until the early 1900s. 🔹 Lieber recommends using three clear jars for children's money management: one for spending, one for saving, and one for giving—a system now adopted by many families and financial literacy programs.