We are witnessing an influx of cases where teens are committing suicide or are now burdened with debt. Society shows us evidence of the patterns that are existing within the country. When things seems dangerous and out of control, the authority steps in, not to punish, but to do what’s needed in the hour. So they eliminate the very thing that’s causing the problem, at least that’s what they believe.Authority always tries to control the external because that’s visible. Recently the government banned online games involving money in order to put a stop at the cases that are surfacing. The gaming ban or parental control of mobile are coming from the right place but might not be effective in addressing the problem. The problem is what they're trying to eliminate isn't outside the teen. It never was.

Financial Habits are usually decoded in the brain by as early as seven, these are formed by watching their parents in action. During the teenage years, girls and boys start forming beliefs. These beliefs come from what they are consuming online and offline. These patterns lie within a teen. When a 14 year old opens a gaming app after having flunked his paper at school, and spends money online is an impulse pattern that lies inside the teenager. And hence banning apps and mobile phones won’t solve this challenge, but seeing the invisible would. 

Teens make money decisions through emotions and justify them logically. But emotions are uncomfortable, and Indian families don’t talk about emotions, so they avoid them. This is a layer that every policy, every finfluencer, and every school curriculum is skipping. Money decisions are emotional. Remember that 14 year old, he/she will continue to act the same way, the outlet would change, if it’s not a gaming app, then it will be something else. Authority would keep banning, Teenager would keep looking for alternative, and the cycle would keep repeating. Because patterns are internal not external.

Pattern is not a 5-step checklist not it’s a rule. Pattern are formed through emotions of guilt, shame, sadness and or happiness. And when every time that emotion hits, the teen is triggered to make a purchase. Impulsivity lives across different areas of life, if you find your teen impulsive in their studies, relationships, eating habits, then almost 99% of the times, one finds the same habits in money choices too. No amount of financial tools stick until there’s emotional awareness.