You've probably seen those bank ads showing kids with no clue about the value of money. One shows tweens pumping dollar bills into a prize game, and then celebrating when they win a plastic whistle. Another shows a girl burying a dollar in the garden and watering it. Another shows a boy who traded his bike for a huge (and messy) Bomb Pop.

Point being, there is real concern about the financial literacy of our children. The issue came up Tuesday when communities leaders met to discuss the "asset poverty" that has made it so hard for Twin Cities' families to reach financial security. The long-term solution to this problem, advocates said, is not only teaching financial discipline and saving habits to adults, but to their children as well.

"What is the message they're getting from home?" said Kate Ouverson, who directs the Families Assets for Independence in Minnesota program (FAIM). "They hear parents say, 'well, we'll put it on the card,' but they might not get the message at the next level which is, 'and we'll pay that off when we get the bill.'"

FAIM provides eligible working poor families with $120 for every $40 they save for themselves. State funding for the program was cut this year, but it still operates through federal funding and philanthropic support. Ouverson said participating families must complete financial counseling, and are encouraged to bring children along as well.

"While the parents are going through the financial education process, the children are benefiting as well," she said. "An example might be young people learning the difference between what a want is and what a need is, and being able to differentiate between the two and to work toward building a budget."

Ouverson said school districts can help by adding curriculum such as the NEFE High School Financial Planning Program. She also said parents should take advantage of teachable moments when young kids show interest in money and finance. (One example from my life occurred a few years back when my young son said he might want to sell cars as an adult. Turns out, he thought every penny from the sticker price went to the salesman.)

BMO Harris Bank has taken up this issue through its TV ad campaign and also a new web site that advises parents how to have age-appropriate talks with their children about money. It also offers a $25 match for savings accounts opened by parents for their children. The bank released a survey this month showing that only 39 percent of Minnesota parents discuss basic money management with their kids on a regular basis. (This was slightly better than the national average of 36 percent.) Minnesotans felt the appropriate time to start talking money with kids was when they were 9 to 10 years old.