The point of the article is that early savings, or starting NOW whatever the day is, will get you a long way with time. Saving is a habit. Not touching it except for capital improvement is a habit. Diversification to avoid down turns is a habit.
I can see you wish they had this one habit in their well behaved life — perhaps they can pick it up because, of course, they never listen to we parents.
Back when my son was in college his bank (I think it was BofA) had a debit card feature where every purchase made was rounded up to the next dollar and the change balance was auto deposited into a savings account. By using that card for everything he did in college and the first two years at work afterward graduation he had enough for a down payment on his first house.