Recent statistics from the US Census Bureau indicate that more adult children are either moving back with mom and dad, or never leaving in the first place. Studies show that this is not just a US phenomenon, but is also occurring across the globe. While it's easy to see that the economy is a major factor in this demographic shift, my focus this week will be on a possible silver lining.

If adult children are moving back home due to lack of a job or not making enough money to make ends meet, this can be an excellent "teachable moment" for parents. The current economic environment is a way for parents to impart valuable wisdom about saving and investing to their adult children. While it's not always easy to get the attention of adult children, at least you won't have to convince them that rainy days happen since we're coming out of one of the worst economic storms we've ever seen.

Obviously, it's better to start teaching children about saving when they are young. To help parents or grandparents of younger children, I have also included a discussion about the best ways to approach teaching kids about money, along with some valuable Internet resources to help you along.