Big Think Your money trauma starts at childhood | Your Brain on Money
Oct 29, 2025
Kathleen Burns Kingsbury, a wealth psychology expert, explores how childhood messages shape our lifelong relationship with money. She discusses the early feelings of “money shame” and how they impact our financial decisions. Personal stories illustrate the real-world effects of these childhood experiences, highlighting the emotional struggles around money. Kathleen also offers practical advice on teaching children healthy financial habits, emphasizing the importance of open conversations and visual tools to create a positive money mindset.
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Childhood Forms Automatic Money Scripts
- Early family money behaviors create automatic “money scripts” that guide adult financial actions.
- Those scripts form narratives linking money to value, fear, or virtue long before conscious choice.
Early Beliefs Outlast Financial Reality
- Childhood scarcity or privilege imprints beliefs that persist even if circumstances change.
- Those beliefs can create chronic anxiety or false confidence that money always solves problems.
Nickel Teaches Shame Around Money
- Kathleen kept a nickel as a child and was shamed for it, teaching her that loving money was wrong.
- That childhood message later made her uncomfortable with profitability despite being good at managing money.