The Success of Parents Does Not Mean the Success of their Children

As many parents strive to manage their finances, they also start worrying about the example they set for their kids. Most of their actions have an impact on the financial success or failure of their children. Many well-intentioned parents make avoidable mistakes in molding their childrens knowledge and understanding about finances. It is common for people to think that if the parents of a child are successful regarding wealth as well as education wise, then the kid will automatically be successful. Several factors determine a child success, and they are not wholly dependent on their parents achievements. Indeed, there are many misconceptions on this but research has proved that in many instances, parents are to blame if their children become unsuccessful.

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To start with, children are continuously influenced by their environment including those who they associate with regularly. Parents should be cautious of the sort of influences their kids are associated. Parents who are too busy to regulate the kind of friends, who interact with their children, might end up allowing negative influences upon their children (Levine). Consequently, they might end up being exposed to harmful habits and even drugs. Subsequently, this could end up affecting their career paths and therefore end up being unsuccessful.

Admittedly, most successful parents emphasize on money over values. Also, it is evident that children are motivated to perform tasks when promised financial rewards. However, not all responsibility has a natural connection to economic gains. There exist other intrinsic benefits that emanate from persistence, the love for justice, or relationship. Thus, if money is what is given to children for every expectation and right choice, then their value system can be unrealistic (Daum). Cash should be the reward for good work done and not for demonstrating good behavior or achieving good grades. These are responsibilities that kids ought to learn. They should be taught that helping others as well as personal growth can be as satisfying as getting paid. These are a small but very important aspect of life that makes up a successful person. When children are not taught such aspects, they can end up being unsuccessful.

As a matter of fact, all parents hope to offer their children enough that they will never want or be deprived of anything. Nevertheless, most of the parents avoid the discussion about where the money comes from. There is a risk in keeping the kids in the dark about the sources of finances. When they only see their parents spending money, then that becomes the only aspect they associate with cash. Therefore when they go to campus or colleges with their credit cards, they spend extravagantly without feeling any pain of the sweat that goes into making that money. Children should be talked to and be taught on how to use money as well as the consequences of using it poorly (Daum). Thus, if successful parents fail to teach their kids about the value of money, they might end up mismanaging and misappropriating money, and this might bring them down to being unsuccessful.

Undoubtedly, many parents love their kids, and a good number of them grant their children anything upon their requests. For instance, an additional 20 minutes of Xbox time or a new game. Assent to their requests regularly and changing answers from no to yes in the face of tantrums shows children that they are eligible to whatever their desires are, whenever they want. There is a need for kids to know that regardless of their emotional response, the decision of the parent will stand out (Gillett and Baer). This lesson instills discipline and obedience which serves as great tools for success. Parents who acknowledge their children request too frequently risk the lives of their kids and even though they (parents) might be successful, this may hinder their children from being successful.

More importantly, it can be appreciated by everyone that even the most stubborn children have some capacity for sacrifice and kindness. Nevertheless, it is surprising to know how many children think that the charity work of their parents is all about dressing up and drinking wine at the events. This is because they have not yet seen that other things are involved. It is advisable for parents to openly discuss their involvement in charity works and help their kids take part in volunteer programs so that they can learn the impact of helping others (Daum). Encouraging them to be generous is a virtue that if not properly taught to a child, there are high chances that he/she will be unsuccessful.

Ultimately, when a talk about financial responsibility is discussed with kids, one of the hardest questions they ask is what will happen to them when their parents are not there anymore. This question puzzles kids more than parents realize. Even though the children appear ecstatically unconcerned with their eventual parent demise, it is essential for parents to hold a discussion with their children about how they would move on even without their parents, particularly when they attain adulthood. Usually, parents tell their children not to worry, that things will be okay. This answer creates even more anxiety since it does not give any solution. It does not acknowledge who will look after them, where they might live or even what money will be there for them. Thus, the accomplishment of the child is not reliant on the parents success but on various factors that include the parents decisions.

Works Cited

Daum, Kevin. "8 Parental Mistakes That Can Ruin a Child's Path to Financial Success." Inc.com, 2016, www.inc.com/kevin-daum/8-parental-mistakes-that-can-ruin-a-childs-path-to-financial-success.html. Accessed 27 Oct. 2016.

Gillett, Rachel, and Drake Baer. "How Parents Set Their Kids Up for Success." Business Insider, 2016, www.businessinsider.com/how-parents-set-their-kids-up-for-success-2016-4/#1-they-make-their-kids-do-chores-1. Accessed 27 Oct. 2016.

Levine, Madeline. "Raising Successful Children - The New York Times." The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia, 2012, www.nytimes.com/2012/08/05/opinion/sunday/raising-successful-children.html. Accessed 27 Oct. 2016.