On Saturday, February 14, we held our well-established program, “Money Matters You’ll Be Glad to Know,” presented by Sony Life Insurance. This popular event, which has been conducted nine times and consistently achieved a 100% satisfaction rate, returned for its second session of the 2025 academic year as “Parent-Child WOW 2026.” A total of 38 participants from 18 families joined us—significantly exceeding last year’s attendance. Many families attended together as parents, and the venue was filled with a warm and welcoming atmosphere throughout the engaging 90-minute session.

In the first session of the 2025 academic year, participants experienced life planning by using an application actually utilized by Sony Life representatives, creating hypothetical families in groups and designing long-term financial plans. Building on that experience, this time a special program was developed exclusively for Ritsumeikan Uji Junior High School. The theme was “Learning About Investment Together as Parents and Children.”

After gaining a clear and accessible understanding of the basics of stocks, participants answered quiz questions to earn virtual funds. They then “traveled back in time” 15 years and invested their funds to see how their money would grow in a simulation-style game.

When quiz answers were correct or when stock prices rose dramatically, parents and children were seen exchanging smiles and high-fives. The lively discussions within each group and the shared excitement over gains and losses were particularly memorable. The session not only provided meaningful financial learning but also strengthened family bonds.

In the post-event survey, participants shared comments such as, “I’m happy we could learn together as a family,” and “I’d like to talk more about money at home.” These responses reaffirmed the value and significance of the Parent-Child WOW initiative.

We hope that this experience will inspire students to think about money independently and together with their families, using financial knowledge as a positive tool to build a richer and more fulfilling future.