Dubai: The Emirates Journalists Association (EJA) held a workshop at its Dubai headquarters titled “Family Financial Well-being: The Foundation for Building Financial Awareness and Independence Among Children.”

The workshop was led by Dr. Mahira Ahmed Al Badawi, founder of the Refahi Financial Education Platform, and was attended by Fadila Al Muaini, President of the Emirates Journalists Association, along with a number of journalists and media professionals.

The workshop was organized as part of the association’s training programmes aimed at developing professional skills and raising awareness of issues related to family, society and the media.

Discussions focused on the relationship between parents’ financial well-being and children’s financial education, highlighting how everyday financial behaviours and decisions within the family can shape children’s attitudes towards money, saving, spending and financial independence.

Participants took part in an interactive activity titled “Refahi Stories”, as well as the “Family Financial Well-being Scale,” which enabled them to examine some of the financial practices within their families and identify areas for improvement.

Dr. Al Badawi also outlined the different stages of financial education, describing it as a process that begins in early childhood and develops progressively until children reach financial independence in adulthood. She stressed the importance of parents serving as practical role models for their children in managing money responsibly and consciously.

Reem Al Breiki, EJA Board Member and Chairwoman of the Training and Development Committee, said that financial education for children begins within the family and is largely shaped by the everyday practices children observe at home.

She highlighted the importance of developing financial awareness from an early age to help children acquire money-management skills and make responsible financial decisions.

The workshop concluded with a practical exercise in which each participant developed a “Family Financial Education Plan,” outlining a series of steps and practices that could be implemented at home to strengthen financial awareness and promote sound financial habits among children.