【Description】
Parents wish to give the best things to their children. However, do “the best things” parents provide always benefit their children? Is it possible that there are adverse effects?
Although some qualities are innate in children, parents still play a vital role in influencing the development of their offspring. As parents, how can we cultivate brilliant, wise children and pass down family wealth safely? Listen to what Grandmaster JinBodhi has to say.
【You will learn】
- A true story highlighting the tragedy of a spoiled child
- l The right attitude for parenting
- l How to lead by example
【Featured aphorisms】
- Even if you’re wealthy, live a simple life.
- l When parents act morally and nobly, their children will do the same.
【Content】
You Will also want your future generations to be motivated and hardworking for the family, right? Here is a way: Firstly, quit your lavish living. Such living will only make your child corrupt and unmotivated. As parents, we can be rich but we must learn to maintain a simple lifestyle. Don’t buy luxury items or go to foul places to gamble or do drugs. Many countries have these places for improper entertainment. Stay away from them.
Parents need to set this rule. If you don’t set rules when your kids are young and instead spoil them, you won’t be able to set rules when they get older. They will run away if you try to discipline them. They will still use your money while on the run and leave you with nothing.
Here is a story that happened 20 years ago in Vancouver. There was a family that immigrated from Taiwan. The dad was still in Taiwan doing business; the mother and son stayed in Vancouver. The son was not dumb as his parents were both university graduates who were intelligent and well-mannered. They had this child when they were older, at the age of 36. So they loved and spoiled this child a lot.
The parents lived a very simple life. But the child spent all his time
playing video games and refused to study. That gave his mom a headache; she didn’t know what to do with him. After a long struggle of trying to communicate with her son, he finally named his price. In Vancouver, there is a famous university called UBC (University of British Columbia). It is very famous. In the end, the mom said that if he was admitted to that university, she would convince his dad to buy the sports car the son wanted.
So with this as motivation, the son got admitted to UBC after studying hard. The mom had to fulfill her promise. She wanted to backpedal on her promise and bought him a toy car instead. Her son wasn’t having it. He refused to enroll. He said, “You can enroll yourself. I have already done my job. The deal was for me to get admitted. I have completed my mission.” His mom had to kneel down and beg him: “We will go pick the one you want right now.” So they bought a sports car.
3 months later, she returned to Taiwan with her son’s ashes. Her son died in an accident; he drove his sports car into a tree. There was a huge dent in the front of the car.
To have our kids inherit our wealth and happiness, we need to make a big investment: Parents have to stop being extravagant. Stop talking nonsense and start speaking kindly and morally. Do normal and legal things. Your behaviors will impact your children. They don’t have other references so they can only follow yours. You will find that they are a copy of you. They
either act like their dad or mom, or they could be a combination of both.
Some parents claim their children are badly influenced. I am more worried about how they are teaching their children. They would say, “I told them to behave well.” If the parents don’t behave well, how could they have well-behaved kids? The parents don’t even know good from bad.
So I must remind you: If you want to learn from me, you must learn to have kind thoughts, do kind actions, speak kind words. To your children, spouse and friends, your words should be noble and ethical. If your children learn this from you, you will be able to pass your family assets down. They might even surpass you and achieve more than you, thanks to their parents being good role models.