Every child matures differently, but as they get into Middle and High School, here is a great method to teach responsibility with money.

As a parent, if you buy things such as clothes and school supplies for your kids, try giving them more of that money once or twice per month to buy on their own. They will quickly find out that when the money is gone they can't buy anything else.

The key here is not to bail them out when this happens. It may be tough love, but isn't that how it works in the real world? Do you want your kids to be ready and not have to fall back on a credit card when that happens?

By placing purchasing power in the hands of your children, you will be empowering them to make their own buying decisions. Many parents report that their children's spending declines, they don't buy as many name-brand items and they start looking at prices when they make a purchse; therefore getting more for their money.