Train your children in the way they should go do

Na. 89.32 Train your children in the way they should go do
 
One of the Books that form the Bible is called Proverbs.  Proverbs has some amazing wisdom and common sense for handling money and raising children even though it was written years ago.
 
In Chapter 22 verse 6, one of the proverbs says “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it”.
 
I was reminded of this the other day when I visited a friend and he was telling me about the difference between his three children and how their handle their money now they are adults.  He believes that this is because of the way they were trained as children.
 
When he and his wife separated more than 20 years ago two of their three children went to live with their Mother and the other child (a boy) stayed with him.
 
My friend told me how tough things were financially for him and his Son after the separation of him and his wife.  My friend had been bought up in a family where things were not easy financially, so he was used to finding innovate ways of saving money and make each dollar go as far as it could.  He taught his Son how to use a sewing machine to repair his clothes, cook and other life skills such as growing vegetables and having budgeting skills too.  He also let him learn from his own mistakes.  His Son was given some money for his birthday and wanted to buy a very expensive toy with it.  His Dad advised him it would not be a wise choice, as he thought he would quickly get bored with the toy.  His Son decided to buy it anyway and 10 days later was in tears because he had spent a lot of money on something he now didn’t want. 
 
His Son, now an adult is an excellent money manager.   Whereas his other two children who were brought up with different values and not taught life skills such as sewing, and budgeting as children were not. 
 
If you have children, have a think about what they are learning from you.  How are you training them financially? Are you a positive role model with your finances?   Are they learning to save up or to put things on credit?
 
Would you considering going guarantee for your children or a friend to enable them to buy something using dumb debt (something that is borrowed for and depreciates as soon as it is bought).  If so think about this other bit of wisdom from Proverbs Chapter 22 about going guarantor for someone which says “don’t guarantee another persons debt or put up security for someone else. If you can’t pay it, even your bed will be snatched from under you.”