Thoughts About Mother Earth, Motherhood And Cultivating Financial Planning
You simply cannot get through the month of April without becoming aware that this is the month in which the world celebrates our beautiful planet Mother earth.
Now, I’m not exactly what you would call a tree hugger, but I do understand assets, whether they are the natural assets that come from the earth or those assets that we work hard to earn and want to preserve so we have enough of them to live comfortably when we retire. I’m all for protecting and preserving assets, both natural and financial.
This thought led me to another celebration that happens next month.
In May, we celebrate the mothers who brought us to this planet, who nurture us and care for us until we can take care of ourselves. I thought about my own role as a mother and, as mothers are constantly doing, I wondered how I could be better at the job.
Before long, I was wondering how many mothers (parents) take the time to teach their children about financial health and wellbeing. We are so concerned with keeping our children safe and are so busy with the day-to-day business of preparing meals, doing laundry, getting the kids to and from school and other activities and caring for home and hearth, there is little time to think about teaching our children about their financial futures.
Children learn about money and finances by watching their parents.
Especially mom, because mom is buying the food and taking care of the day-to-day business around the home. I didn’t learn about finances from my parents as a child. I did get an allowance that I had to use with great discretion.
Many of my clients come to me as adults who never learned about financial planning from their parents. Many people learn that it’s important to save money, but very little else. What do you do with the money once you’ve amassed significant savings? No one tells you about that.
I thought, if I were to do it over again, I would cultivate an understanding of financial wellbeing at a very early age. It is my belief that raising children to be financially responsible is one of the greatest gifts a mother can bestow upon her children. And, it is truly one of the greatest satisfactions of motherhood.