Among the stacks of credit card offers I receive regularly, one stuck out this week for being in  particularly poor taste. American Express sent me an offer to get additional cards. Since I already have an Amex card, I get these ‘add a card’ letters on a pretty regular basis. The difference about this one though was the first line of the offer; "Give your teenager something that they will always carry with them."

What? Are they talking about DEBT?!?? Because that’s basically what they’re suggesting.

Reading on, I find out the terms of the offer.

Anyone who is 15 years or older can receive an Additional Card,…

That means that someone that’s too young to drive, too young to vote, too young to do ANYTHING of legal binding authority (hence, the minor part) is being handed something as dangerous to them financially as a hand grenade. When did this get to be acceptable behavior??

It’s hard enough today trying to install good financial habits in your children without things like this sidetracking all the good a parent does.

If my kids want to get a credit card when they turn 18, there’s nothing I can do about it. I only hope that by that time, I’ve taught them how to be responsible enough to not let CC companies take control of their lives. 

As I’ve said before, my parent’s didn’t really teach me very much about money. They were middle-class average, with no plans for retirement (other than Social Security), no investments (other than a savings account) and no advice for their offspring on managing money. I’m STILL working on getting out of the debt I got myself into in my late teens and early twenties.

I’m at least planning to pass on as much wisdom as I’ve learned (the hard way) to my children so they don’t endure decades of working their way out of debt like I’ve had to.

So I’m passing on getting my kids a credit card.