In PART 1 of this article I wrote about the importance of a parent passing on values to their kids that has had an impact on their own lives. In no particular order, these are the 6 values that I am trying my best to inculcate in my daughter:
FINANCIAL FREEDOM
I tell my daughter that today she is dependant on her parents for money, of course she has no choice. But we definitely don’t raise her to think that this is perfectly normal. We don’t let a moment pass to remind her the importance need of being financially independent. You cannot be living off people because then you lack control, being under someone’s power you lose the power to steer your own life. Make money. Have Control.
NORMALISING FAILURE
When growing up, failure was not an option, unless I found myself in a situation that was impossible to get out of. But my parents were constantly pushing the success button on me and perhaps that is one of the reasons why it seriously affects me when I an unable to do a task properly, thereby considering a failure. Over the years I realised that failings have more learnings that succeeding. And this is something I want to pass on to my daughter - failure is part of life, it is ok to fail because that is how we learn and grow up being more perceptive.
BE OPTIMISTIC
My wife and I tell our daughter day in and day out “Never let anyone say that you can’t do something”. To believe in yourself and your abilities is perhaps one of the toughest values to pass on to someone who already have a pre-disposition to negativity. This is a value we are drilling in our daughter’s head almost everyday. The older she got the more negativity ruled her. She would find solace in statements like “I can’t do this”. But slowly and steadily we are trying to shift her from that to “Ok, I don’t know this but I am willing to try it out”, and when she does, she feels happy and confident about achiving something.
CONSISTENCY
As a kid I was anything but consistent, I would start something and drop it mid-way. I lacked consistency and even today my drive for consistency is not optimal. Consistency doesn’t come easily due to various factors like procrastination, lack of tangible results and potential boredom. But I have seen what cosnsitency can do to people and it has left me in awe, hence it is vital for me to keep harping on the fact that consistency can potentially lead to success.
TIME MANAGEMENT
This one is timeless (sorry for the pun). It’s actually more practice than value, but I cannot overstate it more than needed. People, kids especially have to take this into their stride. In today’s day and age, time is one of the most valuable commodities that we cannot afford to lose. I want my daughter to set this in motion from a young age because time management is not something that can be achieved overnight, it needs… well… time!
CONTENTMENT
We live a life of hyper-everything - success, money, fame, growth, pleasure but does it keep us constantly happy? One of the most important values I want my daughter to realise sooner than later is the crucial understanding of contentment. While striving for goals is important, it's equally vital to find peace in the present moment, overextending can lead to premature damage that we do not need. Contentment isn't about settling for less; it's about appreciating what we have while continuing to work towards what we want. Unlike happiness, which can be fleeting, contentment is a more stable state of mind. It allows us to navigate life's ups and downs with a better state of mind. By fostering contentment, we equip our children with the ability to find joy in small victories, learn from setbacks without being devastated, and maintain a balanced perspective on life. This doesn't mean abandoning ambition, but rather cultivating a mindset of fulfilment and satisfaction.
