I have clear childhood memory - of a man coming to our school when I was only eight years old to talk about investments for children. He showed us what saving just five dollars or pounds a week could do for us from that point until we were adults. The amount of money made from interest was astounding, and had I been smart, I would have started such a program once I was earning my own money. I made the mistake of thinking I had plenty of time. Now that I am in my mid-thirties, I wish I would have thought about savings and retirement much sooner.

Investments for children came to my mind in full force when my daughter was born. One of the first things I thought was that I didn’t want to her to struggle with money as I have in the past. Though her choices will be her own, I can do my best to teach her about savings and learning that not all money should be spent right away, even when you think you have nothing to save. Just five or ten dollars each check can make a huge difference years down the road.

Some of the best investments for children are the ones that are simple. It might take nothing more than a savings account to see huge returns twenty or thirty years down the road. The mistake that some make is having just one savings account for investing for children. When you do this, they tend to take money out as soon as they hit a bump in the road, and all of the savings will vanish. Instead, have two, and only tell them about one. When they are older, you can then tell them about the second account, and they can then use it for what they want, but hopefully, they will keep it as a retirement account.

What you should remember when thinking about investments for children is that they have time. That means you can choose some of the safest investments and they will still make a lot of money. Risky investments are for those who don’t save enough when they are young and feel the panic of retirement coming on. A simple, easy investment is the way to go in this case. Get something that will go on its own, and that you can add to as you go. In the future, your children will thank you for thinking of them, and giving them some security that they may not have gotten on their own. Having good investments for children will help you sleep better at night once they are on their own.