Would you share your financial problems with your kids

Hi,
Sure you have to tell them, but you don't have to go down to details: You can tell them about the problem, how severe it is, what are the implications on them, what do you expect from them, how are you going to tackle / solve the problem, and how much time do you estimate it will take.  Please remember that kids are mych smarter than we use to think, and they are very sensetive as well..... they'll know / sense about the problem from all kind of small hints / body language / reations / words.... and what they will not be told the'll guess....  and they can guess wrong... and that can make it even harder for them..... so better provide them a good / honest / true picture...  I am not talking Bla-Bla but out of my experience. 
Above all I wish you to go out of the problem SOON.
Best regards,

Thanks for answering my question Matthew, and my answer to this might be that I might depending on how old they were and what the issues were, if I had to explain to them why I couldn't get certain things for them or why we might not be able to do certain things, only so that they knew that it wasn't their fault, and again that would depend on how old they were and why I was having to discuss it with them.

Yes, yes yes,  I know this one from experience.  I was a single mom and my kids knew that it was hard to make ends meet more often than not.  I moved hell and highwater to keep them in clothing that fit and were considered "cool", and they appreciated, and took care of everything they had because they knew it did not come easy.  When something extra came up that they needed or wanted, they always checked to see what our situation was before even asking.  I think they had enough, and did not feel deprived, but most of all, I know that they are better people today because of this experience.

I don't believe in stressing children with adult issues.  I also don't believe in springing matters on children.

Both principles are based on the parenting premise that children should always feel secure in their home.   A home is a place for peace.

So do the best you can to keep your family secure in a home.  If the situation is so dire that you need to move to a different smaller home, or just simple lifestyle changes, keep it light, keep it fun, and keep it secure even when explaining the fundamentals of the challenges.

Dogbreeder, I agree with you many times but this is not one of them. I was one of those children who grew up in a home with a single mother who worked two jobs to barely support us. She did not tell us that we had money problems, she told us that we had money for this, and this, and this in a matter of fact fashion so that we never considered it a "problem with money" it just was the way things were.  She stressed working hard and education and reinforced it by example. That is what caused two out of three of us to excel and make solid middle class income with college educations.  Yes, I got a job in my early teens to help her but it was because of her example that you had to have an education (she was an RN) and do what needed to be done, whatever that was. At the same time, I learned in school (and many times since) that the cycle of poverty is passed down through generations and it is not the norm for those from poor parents to excel and have great ambition just because they have little money... that comes more from positive parenting than from doing without. Look at school scores and you will see that the schools from the poorest areas have the lowest scores more often than not. Not because they are not as smart, but because they cannot get beyond their financial hardships, often lack parent involvement and the attitude is defeatist. And your bias against those with well to do parents is mind boggling. Many of my friends came from money and they became pharmacists, doctors, teachers, etc. In fact, I did not know any personally that did worse per capita than the kids from modest homes did. Matthew, I would encourage you to share with your children your available funds without trying to make it "trouble" but matter of fact, here is what we have and how we need to go forward as a family... how each can help out until things get better again. Especially if they are used to getting the things that they wanted before, they need to have an explanation of sorts and it will save you from many no, no, no (when they want something expensive) once they can adjust. I am a strong believer that the family is in it together and if they have to "conform" to drastic change, they should be told why.  Take care and God Bless.