The Family Fool
March 25, 1998

It's rarely too early to begin learning about investing. Few Fools will disagree with this imperative. For that reason, many months ago, we offered you some articles to help you teach your kids about investing here in the Family Fool. Those articles were aimed at you -- the parent. We're now pleased to offer a collection of articles targeted directly for kids in our Young Fools area.

I was guided by two things as I prepared this material. As a former high school teacher, I recalled how little is ever taught to kids about money. (If they're lucky, they spend a day or two learning about how banks compute interest and how to write a check.) If I'd started investing while in my teens instead of my late twenties, my nest egg would be considerably larger today -- and substantially larger by the time I earn my gold watch from Fool HQ and head for Florida.

When writing these pieces, I had teenagers in mind as a target audience. (Clever pre-teens should be able to grasp this stuff, as well.) Here's a rundown of some highlights, to help you guide Fool Jr. through it.

-- In What's Here at Young Fools, we present an overview of the entire area. If you find yourself getting lost, head back here.

-- Kids who aren't convinced that saving and investing is worthwhile should check out Why Invest?

-- A basic lesson on compounding is found in How to Grow a Million Dollars.

-- Explanations of investing options are found in the Ways to Grow Your Money collection, which addresses the risk and return offered by bank savings accounts, money market funds, CDs, bonds, real estate, collectibles, and stocks.

-- Our All About Stocks area explains what stocks are, how they've performed over time, how they work, what makes their prices change, and what mutual funds, index funds, dividends and stock splits are.

-- In Ways to Lose Your Money we compare the odds of actually winning a lottery jackpot to the odds of being struck by lightning or being devoured by flesh-eating bacteria.

-- The Glossary of investment terms defines everything from "aggressive investing" to "ticker symbols."

-- Finally, we conclude with a standing invitation to all kids to pop into our Teens & Their Money message folder. Right now it's swarming with well-meaning adults, but we hope to see it overrun by young Fools in short order.

Enjoy!

-- Selena Maranjian (TMFSelena)