Money and Parenting


I was listening to a group of parents talking about their children’s university and how much they spend for the books, fees and so on and so forth. Part of me was shocked to hear of the cost these parents had to come up with just to see their kids properly educated. But another part of me pretty much guessed that sending a kid to a university nowadays is equivalent to a price of Queen Elizabeth’s crown.

Then one parent (let us called him P1) said, “I don’t pay a single cent for my son’s study. I asked him to take a loan for it”

The rest of the parents were stunned. “But how will he pay for the loan? Is he working while studying?”

P1 answered, “No. He’s taking the government study loan –PTPTN. Once he graduated, he’ll pay the loan back. Besides, the loan will be his incentive to work harder to find himself a good job because he knows he owes the government money. If he owes me money, FAT CHANCE he’ll pay me back” and PI roared out laughing.

The rest smiled hesitantly. But they don’t agree with P1’s method.

“Why are you burdening your son with debt? You are adding his stress”

“Don’t you want your son to earn his money for his future house? His future wife/kids?”

“You know how difficult and hard life was when you started your life as a young graduate. Don’t you want to give your son the easy way to start his life?”

And many more questions were thrown at him.

He just smiled confidently and said, “I’m introducing him to the real life. Living a hard life taught me to be a strong, independent and a smart man I am today. If I give my children everything they wanted, they will never learn or appreciate the value of money and hard work. They will be pampered. They will only know one thing –when they need money, Daddy is there to bank-in. What? Daddy is not money making machine okay! Daddy also works his ass off to get the luxurious life Daddy is living!” and he laughed louder.

I can’t help but laughed along.

I mean, I agree wholeheartedly with P1.

“Well! That’s… That’s… insane! I do not want to burden my children let alone to see them living a hard life! My kids are not spoilt even when I give them everything!” exclaimed an angry mother (AM).

I kept my mouth shut. I know for a fact AM just spend RM50k for her son’s wedding, bought her son a house cost RM300k and till this day, AM still have to cover her son’s expenses because her son is not working. A married man but a jobless one.

Now, that is the power of a parent’s love.

I rather keep my opinion on this matter to myself. To each his own I say. Every parent has their own ways of developing their children’s well-being.

But it does make me think –if one day I open a saving account for my kids for their future, am I giving my kids a ticket to hell and damnation? Will they take it for granted Mummy has a stack of cash for them in their account and as they reach a certain age, Mummy going to release the money to them? Or will they appreciated the gesture and be a sweet grateful person Mummy wants them to be?

I guess it also falls down on how do you raise your children, eh?





0 Comments:

 

Copyright © Balqiz 2012 | All rights reserved | Blog Design by Krafty Palette.