Does it handicap our kids if we make their lives easy?

[SaRaHJaNe]

guys comments please... is it okay to make life of your kids hard for them?

[stevenr1953]

I have always and will always do everything that I can to help my kids have happy and successful lives.

However, even from an early age, I tried to teach them that if they want something they have to work hard to get it. 

When they were old enough to understand about money I gave them an allowance so they could start to learn about budgets and saving.  To start with the allowance was just given but as they got older to get a bigger allowance they had to agree to help with household chores.  If they wanted something particularly expensive they could do more chores to get extra and I would give them a target, for example if they can save three quarters of the money they need by a certain date I will give them the rest.

If they wanted something urgently and not too expensive I would lend them the money but they had to pasy it back from reduced allowance or extra chores.

I think (and I have been told by others) that I have good sensible kids and they have always worked for their living after leaving education.

Sarah is right I think you can cause problems for your kids if you make their life too easy.  In over 40 years of working I have seen kids start work straight from University quite a lot of them never having to had to work before. Many are very good workers but for a lot of them work is a total shock, they have no idea about the real world and can't even get to work on time.  Many have no real idea of budgets and think that because they have a job they can afford anything and quickly run up debts that are greater than their annual salary (sometimes double the salary or more).

So by all means do everyting you can to make sure your kids have a good life but also make sure they learn about the harsh realities of the world outside the home and that they are well prepared to face them.

[SaRaHJaNe]

I agree with you 100 percent Steven.... you have said it all and there is nothing more i can say but yes we dont need to brat our kid. My reason, Its not always that i am with my kids and when im gone how they can survive if i wont teach them how to face the real life. Life had been hard for me but i survived and i want my kids to know that money is not everything.. and the best thing for them is to finish school so it will be easy for them to face life. Education is the only legacy i can leave them that cant be taken away from them. I am lucky i have 2 good grown kids and im proud of them.