The rest leave a revolving balance. To improve the situation, a bill was introduced in the House earlier this year to provide state grants to create financial-education programs in elementary and secondary schools. HR 61 also would create a national clearinghouse for instructional materials and the best practices in teaching financial literacy. Many Web sites also are devoted to financial education. But books, lesson plans and Internet tools won't get you very far if you don't practice what you preach.
Parents underestimate the influence of their behavior.
And it's a question of what you do, not necessarily what you say. So you better shape up. Kathy Kristof is a personal-finance columnist with the Los Angeles Times. She welcomes comments and suggestions, but regrets she cannot respond personally to every inquiry.