As a mother, I think a lot about what I want my children to learn before they grow up. Of course, I want them to do well in school, work hard, be responsible, and make good choices. But I also want them to understand some of the everyday lessons that are not always taught in a classroom.

Money is one of them.

I was born and raised in Lima, Peru, and lived there for the first 18 years of my life. I do not remember learning much about money in school. Like many people, I learned about it gradually through life, work, education, mistakes, questions, and experience.

Now that I am raising my three children, Elon, Enzo, and Chloe, I find myself thinking about what I can teach them earlier.

I do not want them to grow up believing that money is simply something we earn so we can buy more things. I want them to understand that money involves choices. We can spend it. We can save it. We can plan with it. We can share it. And sometimes, we can use it to help someone else.

That idea became part of the inspiration for my first Backus BrightBots book, Elon Gives His Money a Purpose.

Money Lessons Can Begin With Everyday Conversations

I do not think teaching children about money needs to begin with complicated financial terminology. Some of the most meaningful lessons can begin with very ordinary questions.

Do I need this, or do I want it?

If I spend my money today, what will I have left for later?

Is there something I would rather save for?

Could some of what I have be used to help someone else?

These are simple questions, but underneath them are much bigger ideas about decision making, patience, priorities, generosity, and responsibility.

As my children grow, I know the conversations will change. What makes sense at five or six years old will be different at ten, sixteen, or twenty five. My goal is not to give them every answer now. It is to help create a foundation that makes them comfortable thinking and talking about money as they grow.

The Idea Behind Elon Gives His Money a Purpose

The first Backus BrightBots book grew from this idea that money can have different purposes.

The story introduces concepts such as needs and wants, saving, spending, making choices, and giving in a way that I hope feels approachable for families. It is also bilingual in English and Spanish, which is meaningful to me because Spanish was my first language and Peru will always be an important part of my story.

But there is one lesson underneath all of those individual concepts that matters especially to me.

Money can also be a tool to be of service to others.

That does not mean giving away everything we have, nor do I want children to associate money with guilt. I want my children to understand that being thoughtful with what we have can include thinking beyond ourselves.

Sometimes purpose means saving for something important. Sometimes it means taking care of our needs. Sometimes it means enjoying something we worked for. And sometimes it means recognizing that what we have can make a difference in another person’s life.

Why This Became Part of Backus BrightBots

Backus BrightBots began with children’s books, but the idea behind it is broader than one book or one age group. I want to create books and learning resources that make real life concepts easier to understand and encourage people to think, ask questions, and keep learning.

I am still at the beginning of that journey.

I hope to publish many more books, explore different subjects, create useful educational resources, and continue learning myself along the way. I also hope that as Backus BrightBots grows, its work can help inspire meaningful service projects that I can document honestly on the Giving Back section of this website after they happen.

I do not know exactly what every future Backus BrightBots book or project will look like yet, and I am comfortable with that. What I do know is the principle I want behind the work.

Learning should have a purpose.

And whenever possible, what we learn, create, earn, or build can also become a way to be of service to others.

With love and a heart of service,
Claudia Backus, MBA