Monday, January 21, 2008

They Are Following In Your Footsteps

One of the main reasons I’m working so hard to get debt free is because of my kids. I want them to know how money works before they get to be my age, and have a pile of debt they have to beat down. My kids know a lot about money and finances just by watching us. They know we don’t buy something just because we want it, they are well aware of who Dave Ramsey is (and he’s currently taking the blame for us not having a Wii), and they know the best way to get wealthy is to save your money. They also know that it’s important to give away a portion of your money, as they give their weekly donation – out of their commissions – to our church.

What are your kids learning from you? Are they learning that it’s ok to buy whatever you want? That it’s important to buy brand new cars every few years? That bankruptcy is the way to go because it’s the easy way out? Do they often hear you and your spouse arguing about money?

I challenge you to take a long, hard look at how you handle money. Your kids will likely treat their money the exact same way you are. Is that what you want, or do you need to make a change?