How to manage your money is a big question for everyone, and even more so for the young. So here we are with some help. It even turned out to be fun!
On the afternoon of September 6, a unique public welfare course, “Happy Childhood – Children’s Wealth Education,” was held at the Fifth Community Residents’ Activity Center in Fengpu Subdistrict. Co-sponsored by the Shanghai Youdao Public Welfare Service Center and the Beijing Foreign Studies University Shanghai Alumni Association, volunteer teacher Zhou Jianhua served as the keynote speaker, with lessons on health, wealth, and life for 10 children in the community.
The class began in a relaxed atmosphere with Teacher Zhou, using the story of his own childhood as an introduction and recounting his journey from being a “cowherd boy” in Hunan to becoming “scholar” who transformed his destiny through knowledge. This quickly connected him with the children. Through vivid images and interactive questions, he guided the children to reflect on the true meaning of wealth.
The class was about much more than just money. Mr. Zhou skillfully broadened the concept of wealth to encompass the two pillars of “spiritual wealth” and “material wealth.” He taught the children that knowledge, curiosity, love, courage, and good health are more valuable than money, while money and assets are tools that can improve life. Through classic financial stories like “The Magic of Compound Interest” and “Don’t Kill Your Goose,” the children learned the importance of saving, investing, and patience – all while having fun.
During the course, Mr. Zhou also showcased the growth stories of globally renowned companies like Berkshire Hathaway, Amazon, and Tesla. Using striking figures and charts, he helped the students intuitively understand the immense power of “long-termism” and the “value of knowledge.” He also used examples like Nokia to remind the students that the world is constantly changing, and only continuous learning can help them adapt to the future.
The most heartwarming moment was when Teacher Zhou Jianhua presented each participating child with a copy of the classic financial literacy book series, “Rich Dad, Poor Dad.” This special gift extended the classroom concepts to the family, encouraging children to read and practice with their parents, fostering a healthy perspective on money and values from an early age. Teacher Zhou encouraged the children to read and practice the book, hoping it will become their first key to exploring the world of wealth, hoping it will not only help them “raise geese” (accumulate capital), but also help them become happy individuals who possess the “Seven Character Qualities” (being friendly, responsible, and encouraging others).
The class not only stimulated the children’s interest in managing money correctly, but also sowed the seeds of rational, healthy and positive views on money-handling in their young minds – rare and precious lessons.
This cooperation with the BFSU Shanghai Alumni Association was very successful! The Youdao Charity Service Center will continue to promote public welfare projects in financial education for children and teenagers, helping more children to move toward a confident, independent and happy future.