I grew up in the ‘80s, when everyone was all about more: more hair, more money, more cars, more flashy stuff. Gen-Xers were raised to believe that we had to have it all figured out when we graduated high school, that we should go to college if we wanted to make any kind of money, and the “free spirits” who decided to go into the arts would always be poor.
You were praised if you went to work sick. People bragged about how many hours they worked, and if they weren’t stressed, they weren’t working hard enough.
I don’t believe any of that, and I’m determined to teach my kids that you can make as much money as you want, but that happiness is the true measure of success. Here are six things I wish my parents had taught me about money that I’m teaching my kids:
1. Reward yourself
3. You are allowed to change careers
Just because they have learned a skill or decided they want to become a chef doesn’t mean that’s what they have to do for the rest of their life. People change. We move, we separate from our partners, we stop enjoying things that used to bring us joy. We don’t have to stick with the same career our entire lives.
4. Multiple streams of income are where it's at
I want my kids to know that they don’t have to put all of their eggs in one basket. Some of the happiest people I know have multiple streams of income. I know someone who is a home inspector, but he also has some rental units that bring in money. My spin instructor is also an esthetician. I am a writer. but I also make money as an influencer. You don’t have to stick with one thing and pour all your energy into it.
Multiple streams of income can be similar to insurance, because if something happens to one of them, you have another one to fall back on.
5. You have to do what you love if you want to be happy
I’m not sure how many times I’ve said this to my kids, but it’s a lot. This is the most important thing I want them to know, because your career can deeply affect your life.
When I quit a job I hated as a recruiter and told my dad I wanted to start my own business that helped people get their homes ready to put on the market through decorating and organizing their space, he thought it was a horrible idea. His reaction scared me enough to take another job I hated just to have a regular paycheck. Who knows what could have happened had I followed my heart. Maybe I wouldn’t have made as much money, but I would have been a lot happier.
6. Make sure you take time off
There is no reward for who burns out the fastest. Taking all the personal, sick, and vacation time you can is essential. If you aren’t feeling well, stay the hell home. If you are getting irritated and forgetting everything at work, take some time off.
Times are changing, and there are so many opportunities for our kids to follow their hearts when it comes to a career path. The importance of teaching them the value of a dollar will always be important, and we can do that by teaching them to value themselves, their time, and their mental health.
