A partner of ours will will be teaching students about AI and financial literacy, and we will be experimenting with a new initiative and working with them to be an extension of their program!
I spend more $ when I’m stressed or bored. Can you help me understand why? Can you help me think about what patterns I have with money and what they might say about me?
This will cue you to coach to this topic! Below is a guide to support you in creating meaningful conversations that will integrate with their financial literacy curriculum. Be sure to take this examples into your own words, with your own personality!
These students are seniors, and sometimes seniors can feel checked out of school—especially near the end of the year. If a young person gives short answers or doesn’t seem interested, here are some ways to spark engagement:
Sometimes, naming what’s happening can open the door to a real conversation. Try a direct but non-judgmental statement:
🗣 Hey, I see you're a senior. A lot of seniors feel kind of over school by this point in the year. Does that feel true for you?
If they agree, you can follow up with an open-ended question to meet them where they’re at:
💬 That makes a lot of sense. So, what would make this conversation actually useful for you today?
If they’re disengaged, they may not see how the topic connects to their real life. Help them bridge the gap:
💡 Let’s be real…money is going to play a big role in your life after high school. What's something about money that actually matters to you right now? Saving for something? Making money? Avoiding stress about it?
Some young people respond well to a little challenge. Instead of pushing, invite them into a new way of thinking:
🔥 I wonder…what might you gain if you really put some effort into understanding your money habits now, before you're out in the real world?
🔥 A lot of people don’t figure out their relationship with money until they’re struggling with it. What if you could be ahead of the game?
Giving them control over the conversation can help them re-engage:
👀 We can go in a few directions…do you want to talk about money habits, making more money, or something else? You get to choose what’s most useful for you.
These open-ended questions invite young people to explore their beliefs, experiences, and goals around money. Feel free to adapt them based on what feels most relevant in the conversation.
Money is personal. It’s tied to emotions, family history, and personal identity. Some young people may feel shame, stress, or uncertainty when talking about it. Your role is to create a space where exploration feels safe and shame-free.
Trust your intuition as a coach. If it feels right, offer statements that reinforce agency, confidence, and possibility.
YP may come in saying things like:
💬 “Sometimes I feel like I never have enough money, even when I actually do.”
💬 “I spend money when I’m stressed out and bored.”
➡️ “I have a guess that you’re thinking a lot about your future and want to make sure you can take care of yourself. So even when you technically have ‘enough,’ it still doesn’t feel like it. What do you think about that?”
➡️ “I wonder if part of you doesn’t trust that money you can make money easily, so you’re always bracing for it to run out. Does that feel true to you?”
➡️ “Maybe you don’t actually know how much money would feel like ‘enough,’ so without a specific number in mind, your brain just assumes you always need more.”
👀 “Does that feel true for you?”
💬 “What do you think?”
🔍 “Would you say it differently?”
🔍 “What feels kinda true, and what doesn’t?”
🔍 “If you had to take a guess, what would you say instead?”
If YP says: “Sometimes I feel like I never have enough money, even when I actually do.”
💡 Assertion: “I wonder if you equate money with security, and since security always feels uncertain, money never feels like ‘enough.’”
If YP says: “I spend money when I’m stressed out and bored.”
💡 Assertion: “I have a guess that spending money feels like a way to shift your mood when you’re overwhelmed—like it gives you control when you’re feeling out of control. Does that feel true?”
💡 Assertion: “I wonder if part of you believes that spending money equals self-care, even though sometimes it doesn’t actually feel that way afterward.”
You don’t need to be a financial expert—you just need to be curious, open, and present. Your coaching can help young people see their relationship with money in a new way, opening the door to awareness, choice, and empowerment.
