Children learn about money by watching the adults around them, and festive occasions provide unusually good teaching moments. The annual stock market Diwali Muhurat trading hour, with its mix of prayer and purchase, can spark curiosity in even the youngest members of a family. Parents who want to involve their children can note that the muhurat trading 2026 date and time is Sunday, 8 November, from 2:20 PM to 3:30 PM, which conveniently falls in the afternoon when the household is gathered.
Starting With the Right Attitude
Before talking about finances, decide what message you want to instil in your children. When using money, we are using it as tool to help us in our lives. It helps us get food, education and gives us security. We want to show children that money should be earned fairly, used wisely and saved with intention. Teaching this will usually result in well-balanced adults.
Don’t make the market seem like a gambling place with quick wins. Instead, talk about how everyone owns a little piece of a business and over time they will benefit from it. Emphasise to them how patient they need to be as one of the main lessons they can learn is that great things take time.
Age appropriate tips:
Young children:
Keep it simple. Use real-life examples. Use a piggy bank to explain how we save our money. Talk about how when you go on a family trip to your favourite shop, the shop earns money. If you owned a little piece of that shop, you would benefit from its success. Ask them to pick a brand they love and talk about why they are popular.
Children aged 10-14:
Use simple terminology. Use terms like shares, profit, dividend, risk and diversification. Tell them a story. For example, ‘if 3 people were owning a lemonade stand, what would happen if they sold lots or if it rained and no one came?’ This will help them understand the concepts in a simple way.
Teenagers:
Teach them how to look at a basic company report. Explain how prices are decided based on buyers and sellers. Why do costs and taxes affect your returns? Also explain how inflation means your spare cash isn’t worth as much. Many teenagers are shocked to see how much their regular savings can increase over the years.
Buying a share:
If you decide to buy a share as a family during the festive period, involve your child. Ask them to help pick a company from a small list of good, reliable companies. Ask them to research a few things about the company e.g. What do they sell? How long have they been around? Who are their customers?
Bear in mind that under-age children will usually have a demat account managed by a parent/guardian. The shares will be under their name. Open an account in advance and place a limit order once all details are confirmed. During the session trades will settle so make sure you have money to do so.
Once you’ve bought a share create a simple log. Write down the date, price, amount and why you bought it in a notebook. This will be a lovely keepsake and will help them learn. Encourage them to update it every few months with the current price and any news about the company.
Learning from the dips:
Prices will always fluctuate and sometimes they will go down. Don’t try to hide this from your children. It’s a great chance to tell them how the market fluctuates. They will learn that it’s normal for the price to change in the short term and that you need to use your knowledge of the business to make decisions.
Ask them questions. Has the company stopped selling their products? Have they lost customers? Or is it just the price going down due to the mood? This will help them learn to differentiate between the actual business and the market. This will help develop their analytical skills which they can use in any area.
Be honest and tell them that investing can be risky. Nothing is guaranteed. By setting realistic expectations they won’t be disappointed.
Establishing healthy habits:
The festive period should be the start of a conversation. Get them into a habit of saving regularly. Maybe put a set amount of their pocket money or gifts into their savings account or regular deposit. As they get older, they’ll move on to diversified funds that are managed by their guardian.
Get them to set goals. Whether it be a bike, course, holiday or college fund in the future, they will learn the importance of saving. Praise them when they reach milestones.
Also teach them about keeping safe. No genuine adviser will ask for passwords or guarantee profits. If they receive any messages they don’t recognise saying they can make easy money, show them to a parent. It’s important they’re aware of the digital world.
A precious gift:
By turning on the lamps and filling the house with the sweet smell, the time you spend teaching them about ownership, patience and responsibility may be the most precious gift you give them. Financial skills aren’t often taught in the classroom; however, they play a huge role in their adult life.
Share stories about how your family saved, struggled and succeeded during the festive season. Ask your children what they’d like to build or achieve. This will turn the market tradition into a family value. Ensuring that the new Samvat brings not only financial growth but also wisdom, confidence and gratitude.
