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For one Arbor family, teaching kids about money is about more than dollars and cents. It’s about helping them build confidence, understand the value of saving, and develop healthy habits that can grow with them over time.
That’s one of the reasons Rob and his family chose Arbor’s youth accounts. With children at different ages and stages, Explorer’s Club and Volt have helped make money lessons feel more real, more approachable, and even more fun.
Making Saving Easier to Understand
With two children in the Explorer’s Club age range, Rob appreciates how the account creates simple, hands-on opportunities to talk about saving.
“We love that the account comes with the $100 CD minimum instead of the standard $500,” he shared. “It allows us to take advantage of a higher interest rate for the kids while helping them learn the power of savings.”
For his family, that lower minimum helps make financial concepts easier for kids to see and understand. Instead of saving feeling like a big, far-off idea, his children can begin to picture their money in different “buckets” for spending, saving, and future goals.
Explorer’s Club also makes the experience feel like it was truly built for kids.
“Having the account centered around kids helps them get excited about saving,” he said. “From seeing Whoolio at events to kid-centered marketing and Santa, they are able to get excited about saving. It makes the experience more fun and engaging.”
Giving Older Kids Room to Practice
The family also uses Volt, Arbor’s account designed for older kids and teens. For their older child, having a debit card has been a meaningful next step.
“We love that the account comes with a debit card because it helps teach him where the money comes from,” Rob said. “He is excited and proud to take ownership of his money with a card that has his name on it.”
That sense of ownership is important. With Volt, kids can begin practicing everyday money decisions in a safe, supported way. And for parents, the account offers added peace of mind.
“It’s nice that they can’t overdraft,” he shared. “It gives us peace of mind and creates a safe environment to learn. That is huge.”
The ability to practice now, while the stakes are still small, is something the family values. Learning how to manage money, use a debit card, and understand account balances are skills that can help prepare kids for bigger financial decisions later.
“To teach lessons that they will use their whole lives, and give them a chance to practice and learn without a huge penalty, is really valuable,” Rob said.
He also appreciates that Arbor’s youth account options can grow with his children over time.
“Our kids aren’t old enough yet, but I also like knowing that when they turn 16, they can start building credit in a safe and secure way too,” he said. “The accounts really do grow with your child while creating peace of mind for us as parents.”
Tools That Help Parents Stay Involved
For this family, Mobile & Online Banking have made it easier to stay connected to their children’s financial goals.
“For both accounts, we love having Mobile & Online Banking,” Rob said. “Being able to name the accounts, set up alerts and card controls, and easily set up automatic transfers is huge.”
Those tools help create consistency. The family can set goals, build routines, and keep money conversations going in a way that fits into everyday life.
“It makes it consistent, gives us peace of mind, and lets us keep moving toward their goals,” he shared.
A Partner Beyond the Account
What stands out most is that Arbor’s support for kids and families goes beyond youth accounts. Through community events, school programs, and financial education, Arbor helps young people build financial knowledge early.
“We know that Arbor cares about the financial success of the kids in our community because we often see them out at community events and at schools teaching fundamental lessons,” Rob said. “They are meeting students where they are and giving life skills that they may not have been exposed to before.”
For his family, that community connection matters. It reinforces that Arbor is not just offering an account. Arbor is helping families build confidence, understanding, and healthy financial habits together.
“It makes me proud to have my kids have an account,” he said. “I can trust that Arbor has my kids’ best interests in mind.”
Helping Kids Grow With Confidence
Every family’s financial journey looks a little different. For Rob’s family, Arbor’s youth accounts have created a simple, supportive way to start important money conversations early and build on them as kids grow.
From first savings goals to debit card practice and future credit-building opportunities, Explorer’s Club and Volt are designed to help kids learn by doing, with parents by their side.
If you’re ready to help your child start building healthy money habits, Arbor is here to help.
You can stop into any branch to open an Explorer’s Club Account for children ages 0–12. For children and teens ages 9–18, you can apply online or visit any Arbor branch to open a Volt account.
We’re happy to be here for you and your family at every step of your financial journey.
