Spending or saving - Mariella Frostrup and guests discuss children, parenting and money. How should our kids learn about money and how much should we tell them about our finances?

With Christmas over, many children will have money they were given burning a hole in their pockets. Should we let them spend it on whatever they like or should we impose parental controls? What are the best ways to teach children about the value of money?

Bringing Up Britain takes a look at money matters by investigating how the subjects of money and finance are being taught at home and in school. Mariella and her guests explore which are the most useful lessons for youngsters and how perceptions of money change as children grow.

We also investigate what parents tell youngsters about their own money situations. Whether we're challenged by austerity or seeing the green shoots of recovery, most parents will have found themselves pre-occupied by money matters in recent years. How much of that should we pass on to our children?

Mariella and her guests also discuss how we can talk to youngsters about changing financial circumstances - if a parent loses their job and money becomes tight for instance. Surveys have shown that kids understand more than we think and get worried about money too. How can we help ourselves and our children through the financial minefield?

On the panel are Anna Foster, Head of Services at P-FEG, the Personal Finance Education Group which works in schools, Dr Elizabeth Kilbey, a Consultant Clinical Psychologist who has been working with the Money Advice Service, Dr Rajiv Prabhaka, lecturer in personal finance at the Open University and author of "The Assets Agenda" and Dr. Esther Dermott from Bristol University who is one of the key researchers on the survey "Poverty and Social Exclusion in the UK".

Producer: Emma Kingsley. Show less