There is no reasonable way to shield your children from the glitz and glamour of credit. It's everywhere with all its seduction and allure. So if you cannot shield, neutralize!

Years ago, I watched an effective television documentary in which juvenile delinquents went into prisons, drug-treatment centers and the like to observe the dark side of the life they were heading toward. The intention was to scare them out of their wits, to scare them straight.

In the same way these kids were jolted by reality, you can scare your kids out of a life of consumer debt by revealing the seduction and lies behind the glamour.

TELL STORIES. There is nothing as effective as true stories when it comes to scaring kids about the dangers of consumer debt. Share credit horror stories with them as often as you can (stick to stories you read in newspapers, newsletters or other published sources rather than gossip). Let your children draw conclusions and suggest what would have been a better course of action. Let them be the ones to point out how foolish it is to live beyond your means. Follow up with an explanation that when people are not ?nancially knowledgeable, they are easy marks for the debt trap.

EXPOSE THE "NOTHING DOWN, NO PAYMENTS" MYSTERY. Perhaps you've wondered about popular advertisements that promise nothing down, no payments and no interest. You'll see this in newspaper ads and store windows, particularly around the holidays. What a seductive yet deceitful come-on! You must carefully read the ?ne print to ?gure this out, and even then it can be confusing.

Here's the reason stores love to advertise this way: Most people who want these deals can't qualify. But the advertisement catches their attention. Within seconds, they feel entitled to have new furniture, new electronic items or even a new car. Emotionally, they've gotten the item and are enjoying it. So when they get the bad news, they're ripe to fall for a more expensive deal, which the salesperson is quick to offer.

DEGLAMORIZE SHOPPING. Here's a great way to get your older kids to think realistically about stores, the mall and online shopping sites.

Start by getting a credit card application from your mailbox. Have them ?gure out the terms. Then go online with them, or grab a mail-order catalog, and go wild!

The rule is you can buy — hypothetically — whatever you see but only for a predetermined period of time. Write down everything you've ordered with your pretend credit card. At the end of the time, add up the total cost, including the shipping and handling. Now get your ?nancial calculator and assess the damage.

Using the total as the balance and the payment terms on the application, ?nd out how many years it will take you to pay for this shopping spree. Whew! You'll be mighty glad this was only a game. And just think of all the stuff you won't have to take care of or return because of a reality check.

TEACH ABOUT GIVING. It's a universal principle, a simple concept: Give back part of everything you receive. Giving exposes us and our ?nances to something supernatural. Teach your kids to always give back a percentage of their income before they save it or spend it. Brainstorm with them good reasons to give.

Neutralizing the glamour of easy credit with you kids will produce an unexpected bonus: They will begin to mature and develop financial intelligence.

Mary invites questions, comments and tips at [email protected], or c/o Everyday Cheapskate, 12340 Seal Beach Blvd., Suite B-416, Seal Beach, CA 90740. This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com, a personal finance member website and the author of "Debt-Proof Living," released in 2014. To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.