June 6, 2011

Basic Survival Skill

There was this millionaire who decided to make a will and in the will he wrote that all his assets will go to charity. He is not going to leave a single cent to his children. Asked why, he replied, "They should be making their own money and not wait for mine. By the time I should pass away, they would have made their first buck and if not, they should learn how to and not wait for my money and should be learning basic survival skill." I heard this over the radio sometime back. A lot of listener did called in to the radio station and commented about this. Some agreed and some not.

I totally agree with him. I had just watched The Oprah Show few hours ago, a rerun, an interview with Donald Trump. He too, made all his children work for their money. This are basic survival skills. During the stone age, children were taught hunting skills since they were very young, just like any other animals, for that was their main survival skills. But since money were invented, to me, learning how to make money is a survival skill.

I find most children in Malaysia now a days were being pampered. Even the middle class and the lower class parents, most of them do not teach their children the importance about money. Children were only taught how to spend and not how to earn or make money. Not many teach their kids how to save money either. They haven't the slightest clue where money to the family comes from and how.

Once, on The Oprah Show, a lady said it is important to let our kids know where and how money comes to the family and how it was spend. Even The Seven Habit for family did mentioned that all the family member must understand who is the bread winner of the family and what are the roles and responsibility of other family members.

I do tell my sons how the family money were spend. I show them all the bills that we have to pay. I also let them know the difference between luxury goods and necessities. So now a days when ever we go shopping or vacation, my sons always asked, can we afford this?

From time to time I let them know the pressure that they might face when they are working next time, and ways to overcome obstacle. That was this someone I knew who works in the Human Resources for many years but yet never teach her own children how to prepare themselves for interviews etc. These are some of the survival skills that we as parents should equip them with.

I find most parents are overprotecting their children, felt vulnerable about teaching their children about the real world, the jungle out there, those years of working life. Very reluctant to tell their children that even the C.E.O of a company have to work very hard too. I always tell my sons those straight A's they get does not really help them much in the future. It is just a key to enter the work force. After that it is lots and lots of hard work to succeed, be it a hawker or a billionaire, all have to work very hard to survive and to maintain their status.

Part of growing up is learning the basic survival skills and it will never be taught in school. So parents out there, tell your children the truth, stop saying that if they study hard and get those A's, they were promise a bright future. I have seen so many graduates that are jobless, and some who couldn't stay long in a job because lack of endurance, can't take pressure and thinking that their degree / pHD should land them a job that is easy and earn a lot.

Thanks for reading and hope my sharing do open some eyes. Have a productive day to you.






4 comments:

Unknown said...

Same here, as early as their age, they know where our money goes.
I tell my kids everything they need to know about the real world. I don't sugar coat.

Nice read! Thanks for sharing.

I'm a full-time mummy said...

Good post! I read this inspiring quote about how we as parents if we don't discipline our children when they are young, they will be discipline by the world when they go out venturing on their own.

So better start young, as much as it may ache our hearts to discipline and make them learn, it's better they learn it from us!

convert girl said...

It's really true... kids who never handle and manage money when they are young tend to splurge and out of control when they become adult, and stuck in credit card debts.

Aries said...

thanks for all the comments

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