A Toronto-based company is using an app to teach kids about earning and managing money, while easing the burden on mothers who typically manage the household work.
Mydoh is a digital app associated with a Smart Cash Card that helps kids learn about and practice money management, while giving parents transparency and oversight. The app helps families in Canada teach their kids how to be financially smart.
“We’re really hoping to instill the sense of confidence around money fundamentals for kids, and it’s a way for families to have more meaningful conversations around money,” says Megha Sharma, co-founder & head of technology at Mydoh.
Here’s how it works
Parents assign tasks for their kids to do, such as cleaning their rooms or helping out with laundry. The app will then send a notification to the kids, alerting them to do the chore. Tasks can also be scheduled weekly so it becomes more of a routine.
Once the task is completed, the parent can send the child a payment in whatever amount they think is fair. The money is deposited into the kid’s account on a Saturday to teach children about the idea of payday, said Sharma.
The money is then loaded onto a prepaid, reloadable Visa card through the app and the kids are able to spend it as they please. Parents are able to supervise all activities to ensure safety and to track the kid’s earnings and spending.
Alleviating pressures
The Mydoh app is helping alleviate the pressure many mothers have experienced during the pandemic.
According to a 2021 study by the Canadian Women’s Foundation, 46 per cent of mothers said they were reaching their breaking point due to the day-to-day stress of making the decisions on how to care for their children and families.
The study also revealed that 28 per cent of mothers said they were struggling to keep up with work demands.
“So many women, particularly working moms, have had to take on way more household responsibilities and have chosen to switch to part time work or even remove themselves from the workforce completely. Women are trying to have this fulfilling career but they’re still expected to manage the household,” Sharma said.
Mydoh is able to help alleviate some of the household pressures that many mothers are facing, and help them teach their children about chores as well as educating them on money management. The app also opens conversations about negotiations, allowing kids to negotiate their payment with their parents if they think the chore is worth more than was offered.
“These are skills that you bring into the workforce with you as you get older. And so it’s really about instilling that belief and gaining confidence around money management.”
Finding balance
It can be extremely difficult for women to acquire leadership roles in the workplace. In fact, women are 30 per cent less likely than men to get promoted out of an entry level position, and 60 per cent less likely to move from middle management to executive roles.
“I’ve spoken to a lot of my female mentors, and often when I ask them about their career journeys, there’s always a point at which they say, ‘and then I had kids and I had to take a step back and take care of them,’” Sharma added.
She noted that especially in STEM fields, where you have to dedicate a lot of time to technical training to keep up with the changing industry, finding a balance between home and work life can be hard and discouraging for many women.
Designing the right resources and tools so working moms especially can manage their lives in a way that actually works for them is vital.
“For working moms, particularly, it means designing ways for the household to be more equitable so the mom’s career doesn’t always have to take a backseat,” she said.
