The need to teach the upcoming generation true financial wisdom to attain financial freedom cannot be over emphasized. It is even more important now than ever before with spate of countless uncertainties this current world of ours has got in stock for our immediate generation and those to come.

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This world of today has seen us focusing on the unnecessary while abandoning the real norm that impact our lives improves our economy and makes us a better people. We abandoned the true life of real value where children are thought entrepreneurship from their teenage and hence grow up very confident and self-sustaining.

My Story: I Grew Up As A Farmer And Trader

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As a kid, I grew up going to farm, tilling the soil, cultivating and growing maize, guinea corn, groundnuts, yam and cassava. I did these all through my education life up to the polytechnic where I farmed at my rented apartment’s backyard with permission. We got these trainings very early in life and we were able to handle life challenges effectively and efficiently too. How many children of today can be said to be close to that.
Back then it was all fun and enjoyable. But now that we live the urban life, we miss those thing a great deal and hardly can our children of today even cultivate a square meter. And a return to such lifestyle is very dear to my heart.

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The time has come to teach you own children too to be self-reliant. It doesn’t have to be farming; it just has to be a handiwork, a vocation of sort, a trade of sort or even this digital business that fits our age.

Another Interesting Short Story About Me – Trading!

Immediately after finishing secondary school back home, I returned to the burstling Lagos urban life and without wasting time I joined my mum at her Jewelry Trading store in the heart of Lagos Oshodi. These exposure did wonders in my life as a young man. It was there and then that I learnt cool entrepreneurial skills which later formed my personality as an adult. After about 2 years, I gained admission into the polytechnic and left trading for education. But the skills learnt have been cemented.

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After the two years of the polytechnic education, I started my first fully independent business entity in 1996 with just N350 my pocket money remainder which grew to went on to metamorphose into an independent business today. To God be all the glory.

Get the lessons in these stories into your heart. Get your child involved. Train him/her to be a successful blogger, web developer, programmer fiverrer or even steemian and watch how you kid will make you proud and relieve you a great deal.

That brings me to the story of one of my Yoruba brothers whose very recent touching true-life story went viral on whatsApp. It is in and of itself a lake of practical life lesson that we all need to swim in. Here it goes and I quote:

The True Life Touching Story

“While growing up, my Late father and hero AKOGUN OLUSEGUN OKEOWO used a unique method to teach us his children financial wisdom.

While building his first house, we were required to do labour work for a fee.

Myself and my sisters ferried hundreds of cement blocks with our heads to service bricklayers as they worked.
My father actually paid us for this service.

It was my first work experience and it helped me to appreciate the value of money.

Today, my wife runs a small Poultry both for passion and to augment family income.

Yesterday, I requested my children to go out and join in the sales of Christmas Chickens.

They were required to drive the chickens in a spare vehicle to a popular junction and stay there whole day to make sales.

After two days of hard work, I asked my older daughter jokingly what she has learnt from the two days.
Here is what she told me...

"I have learnt that it is not easy to make money. Am surprised that what we made in the two days of selling Christmas chickens is equivalent to what I paid for my Valedictory Service in School"
My eyes shot up.

So my daughter didn't know how big the money I paid for Valedictory Service only is until she worked for the equivalent.
See the damage we do to our children when we struggle and do everything to meet their needs without allowing them to have a feel of where and how the money is coming from.
Dear Parents, don't prevent your children from getting involved in your profession, vocation or business. Let them be involved.

You run a salon but your children are playing around because it's holiday, am sorry for you.
The poultry you have is too dirty for your children to work in...because you want them to become Lawyers and Doctors. Too bad.
You're a WELDER but because it's a dirty job you don't want your future Mechanical Engineer son to come around.... You are a joker.

You're busy jumping around to make ends meet but your children are at home always watching AFRICA Magic.... Sorry they simply think you went out to have a nice time just as they are doing at home.
Come on, get them involved!!!

If you can't involve them directly, find a way of teaching them value for money.

When next your child asks for those flimsy money, make him/her work for it.

Most working class parents are "killing" their children by giving an impression that "Daddy" or "Mummy is always there"
It is not punishment, it is training. My father did it to me. Am doing it to my children.

They should do same to their children. Good morning & have a wonderful midweek.”

Concluding…

If you are anyway as sensitive to reality as I am, you will be touched by the discovery that daughter had while selling chicken during the 48hours. Don’t just pass this on by a wave of the hand, read it, digest it, ruminate over it, share it with others and then implement it in your own life too as much as you can.

With BIG love and full HOPE, I remain your indefatigable steemian friend @topcoach.

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