Parents, We've Got to Do Better

There comes a moment when every generation has to decide whether it will simply repeat the mistakes of the last one or become the generation that changes everything.

Parents, we've got to do better. Many of us were never taught about investing. We didn't grow up learning about the stock market, mutual funds, compound interest, credit scores, or building wealth. We can't be blamed for what we were never taught. But we can be held accountable if we refuse to teach our children what we now have the opportunity to learn. Generational wealth can begin with them.

Somewhere along the way, we've confused looking wealthy with becoming wealthy. We're raising what may be the best-dressed broke generation in American history. Every birthday... Every back-to-school season... Every Christmas...

I watch parents spend $50, $100, even $200 on toys that will be forgotten before the next holiday. I watch mothers and fathers max out credit cards, empty savings accounts, and go into debt so a three-year-old can wear a $200 pair of Jordans to daycare.

For what? Those expensive toys will entertain them for a few weeks, maybe a couple of months. Then they'll end up in a closet, tossed into a trash bag, handed down to cousins, donated to charity, or thrown away.

But what remains? The child who knew every pair of Jordans by name may grow into the young adult who doesn't know the difference between an asset and a liability. The child who always wore designer labels may become the college graduate carrying $100,000 or more in student loan debt because no one ever explained scholarships, investing, or financial planning. The child who could identify every new sneaker release may never learn how a credit score determines where they live, what they drive, or how much they'll pay for the rest of their lives.

Parents, that's not success. That's misplaced priorities.

Imagine if every Christmas, instead of spending hundreds on gifts they'll outgrow, you invested just a portion of that money into an account that grows with them. Imagine if every birthday came with not only presents but also a lesson about saving, investing, ownership, and stewardship. Teach them how money works before money begins to work against them. Teach them that wealth isn't measured by the logo on your shirt but by the legacy you leave behind.

Luxury without literacy is a dangerous combination. A designer wardrobe cannot replace financial wisdom. Expensive shoes cannot walk them into financial freedom. Brand names cannot build generational wealth.

The greatest inheritance you can leave your children isn't a closet full of clothes. It's a mind full of knowledge. Teach them about investing. Teach them about ownership. Teach them about entrepreneurship. Teach them about budgeting. Teach them about compound interest. Teach them that every dollar has an assignment and every financial decision has consequences. Because one day, those Jordans will wear out. But financial wisdom will never go out of style.

Our children don't need more labels—they need more lessons. They don't need to impress strangers; they need to be equipped for success. If we're going to leave them anything, let it be more than boxes of old shoes.

Let's leave them a blueprint for building wealth, breaking cycles, and changing the future of our family name. Because the greatest gift a parent can give a child isn't what they can wear...It's what they will know.