Methodology

The Problem

Every child must eventually be financially literate to effectively function in society at large. It seems obvious that finance courses should be taught in school so that when kids leave home, they can independently manage their finances. The sad fact is, effective education about money is not being taught.

As of 2020, 25 states require high school students to take at least one economics course, and 21 states require at least one personal finance course. Increasing requirements can only help the situation, however, we would argue schools are in an impossible position to succeed in raising financially literate children.

In order for our children to become truly financially literate and money savvy, they must practice good financial hygiene on a regular basis. And only a parent or caregiver can help with that. It would be like expecting a child to learn English in school, and become fluent without speaking or listening to anyone once they leave the classroom. It's not possible!

So when we combine our school's lack of effectiveness with parents who are uncomfortable with finance as a topic, we have a serious problem.

The Solution

Parents are in the unique position to both educate and help their children practice good financial hygiene. Parents just need to be prepared with an effective strategy that's easy for them to implement. And to work best, that strategy should be a blend of an educational experience with a comfortable peer sharing environment.

The Cents of Responsibility methodology is exactly that blend through education by Alec, and community by Julie.

Education by Alec

There isn't a single part of Alec's educational curriculum that is theoretical. If he hasn't tried it, or witnessed it firsthand, he won't talk about it.

His Cents of Responsibility educational platform is built upon three pillars:

• Streaming video courses
• Tools necessary to execute each strategy
• Coaching via the private Cents of Responsibility community

Courses

By early 2023, there will be a total of four full courses available to all. Those courses are:

• Starting Your Elementary-Aged Child on the Money Savvy Path (available now)
• Continuing Your Elementary-Aged Child's Journey Towards Financial Literacy (in production)
• Continuing Your Cents of Responsibility Journey Into Middle School (available in 2023)
• Starting Your Middle School-Aged Child on the Money Savvy Path (available in 2023)

Each course consists of short, useful streaming videos ranging from 2-8 minutes each, and are specifically designed to give you the exact recipe you need to vastly change your child's attitude towards money. All courses are more than a map telling you where to go, they are turn-by-turn directions giving you the exact route to take.

Tools

It's not quite enough to have a map with turn-by-turn directions. You also need the car, gas, and several other tools. The same goes for educating your children about finance.

Every tool needed for the Cents of Responsibility journey is either provided directly, or by directions. As an example, many of the course videos include downloadable, printable support PDFs. And for the elementary-aged starter course, each enrollee receives a starter kit which includes a link to purchase viable four-slotted piggy banks. They also receive hard mailed stickers for those do-it-yourselfers who wish to skip the pig, and go right to jars. 

Coaching

Available through the private COR Community for current enrollees and alumni of COR courses, Alec makes himself available for Q&A sessions on a regular basis. Moderated by Julie, those sessions are specifically designed to allow Alec to provide direct advice and assistance to those on the Cents of Responsibility journey.

Community by Julie

Even in Alec's first class back in 2018, it was immediately evident the peer sharing between parents were an important part of each live session. As easy as Alec's lessons are to implement, there is still an element of support that's needed because no one instructor can answer every student's question all the time. And just as important, it's a place for experiences to be normalized.

 Julie takes great care in cultivating an online community for parents to further all that they learn from Alec's streaming lessons. That community is divided into two areas ... private and public.

Private COR Community

The Cents of Responsibility  membership community is a private space open to current enrollees and alumni of COR courses. It's a moderated space where Julie fosters engagement so parents feel encouraged to ask questions, find answers, and share experiences. In addition, community members have access to additional coaching from Alec in a structured environment. 

The COR private community is a paid membership that costs $9 per month, however each COR course comes with 90 days of included access. To join as a member, we invite you to sign up for a course today. 

Public COR Community

The Cents of Responsibility (COR) public community is cultivated by Julie via social media. COR's presence on Instagram and Facebook are just the beginning phases of the public extension of our mission to help parents raise their children into money savvy, financially literate adults.