Thread by @Levijameshere

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about kids and money. I grew up dirt poor, in a family where money was an uncomfortable and off-limits topic. Wealthy people were considered selfish and bad.

We have 4 kids 12-20yrs old and are constantly grappling with where to place the line between spoiling and empowering.

I used to think if I gave my kids too much I was taking away their ability to learn the value of a dollar and how to fight for what they want/need in life.

Over time I’ve moved towards a generosity mindset with them. I want my kids to see themselves as worth-it and valuable as humans. I want them to experience the world and be comfortable both sleeping on the floor a dirt floor house in a slum and also at a 5 star restaurant.

I’m not trying to throw out some needlessly controversial opinions here, just sharing a bit about the honest struggle of parenting and trying to find balance while also figuring out how to shake off the unhealthy money lessons that got passed down.

For some reason money seems to be the thing that gets right past all of my defenses and makes me go right back to old habits without realizing it.

I’m more concerned of late with teaching good money/power management thinking to my kids than holding back from them.

I want me kids to become so much more than I’m capable of becoming.

All that to say, where do you draw the line with your kids? What lessons do you intentionally teach and which do you just allow life to teach over time?