Despite the best of intentions, some of the lessons our parents have taught us have ended up being more harmful than helpful as we continue our life’s journey as adults. Do you recognise your parents’ behaviours in any of these three Money Types? Find out how your Family’s Money Legacy is negatively impacting the way you create, keep and manage money.
Despite the best of intentions,
some of the lessons our parents have taught us have ended up being more harmful than helpful as we continue our life’s journey as adults.
Yesterday, I was saddened to read a newspaper article about a woman who was using tough principles to bring up her children. She felt that ‘Western’ parenting ideologies were too concerned with building a child’s psyche and self-esteem and would only serve to grow weak, under-achieving individuals. So, she took a completely different approach to raising her two daughters.
When her children didn’t get top marks in their school assignments she called them “garbage”. After practicing the piano for 3 hours a day, if they were still unable to play the musical piece with perfection - she would leave them out in the freezing cold until they could. Her 4 year old received a scolding after giving her a hand-made birthday card because the card was rushed, not good enough and didn’t meet the standards that ‘she deserved.’
I wanted to reach out and give the two girls a hug, and shuddered to think how the ‘lessons’ this mother was teaching her children would impact them in adulthood. I was reminded of the poem: “Children Learn What They Live” by Dorothy Law Nolte where Nolte so eloquently states:
If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.
While I certainly hope you weren’t brought up in the environment as these two young girls, there may be some other lessons that you were taught about money that may be negatively impacting the way money and wealth is showing up (or not showing up) in your life and business. I call this your ‘Family’s Money Legacy’.
Just like our childhood experiences can impact our personalities, behaviour and the choices we make, the lessons we were taught by our parents through hearing their conversations about money and observing how they managed money can influence the way we manage (or don’t manage) money in adulthood.
Let’s look at three (of the five) Money Types and the lessons our parents taught us and the impact these can have. See if you recognise any.
- The Money Type of Love is where the mother or father has a deep need to feel loved and connected to her children and constantly buys them gifts she can’t really afford to fulfil this need.
Through observing this behaviour, children later in adulthood can face the challenge of self-acceptance.
The unhelpful family money legacy of: “I need to do whatever it takes to get love,” has them modelling the same behaviour of spending on gifts as their way of feeling loved and connected to their own family.
- The parent/s with the Money Type of Security is influenced by their need to feel safe and secure which can result in hoarding money and over-thinking each of their purchases.
By doing this they teach their children fear, insecurity and the inability to trust. In adulthood they too have the fear that everything can be taken away from them or can just disappear.
The unhelpful family money legacy of: “I never know when what I have (love, money, my job) may be taken away from me” so as adults they under-charge and discount their services; they do everything themselves; and they micro-manage their money.
- The Money Type of Recognition is where the parent desires respect and recognition. Their underlying need to be right has them constantly looking for high-risk or highly unusual money-making opportunities.
This behaviour can influence the same desire in their children who also seek respect and recognition. Their need to be right and respected by other people has them seeking the next ‘big money win’.
The unhelpful family money legacy of: “I need to prove that I’m right” often results in huge risks and money losses through trusting the wrong people when it comes to investing.
If you recognise yourself in either of these Money Types, here are a few things you can do to help you start creating a more empowering money mindset. These are important steps if you want to create, earn and keep more money in your life and in your business.
Firstly, it’s vital to realise that you CAN change the unhelpful patterns, behaviours, habits and ways that you manage money if you choose to. Yes, you can break that cycle by creating a more empowering Family Money Legacy.
- If you recognise the Money Type of Love it’s important to ask yourself: “What ‘need’ am I trying to fulfil?” before you spend money. Find ways of being able to feel accepted and connected to other people that doesn’t involve you spending money and creating debt.
- If you resonate with the Money Type of Security it’s vital for you to recognise that you will always have what you need. Stand in your power with money by increasing your fees and saying ‘yes’ to clients that you WANT to work with.
- If you see yourself in the Money Type of Recognition it’s important for you to start developing trust in proven methods of increasing your wealth. While this may seem a little boring at first – trust me, these well-established growth opportunities will support you in building a level of wealth that will enable you to gain the respect and recognition you are looking for from your peers.
Want to find out exactly what your Money Type is? You can by joining me on my Money Breakthrough Method Coaching Program
