Wealth doesn't guarantee a success in future?
By zandi458
@zandi458 (28102)
Malaysia
January 13, 2012 7:09am CST
A successful businessman had a spoiled brat son. Being filthy rich he provided his only son with everything money can buy. He lacked nothing. He was educated in the most elite school locally and abroad but he flunked in his studies. I met the son who is in his late twenty working in the construction firm in the new housing estate where I am now staying. He worked there as a supervisor and I had a friendly chat with him the other day. He is a down to earth guy but the only thing lacking in him based on my observations was parental love and spiritual education. What shocked me was his father put him there to work as a lowly paid staff and pay his salary from his own pocket to the company that employed this son without the son knowledge. The boss of the company told me that his father wanted him to learn the hard way of earning a living.
Providing material wealth alone is not enough. Moreover it can be dangerous. I know of many cases where children from good, wealthy homes have ruined their family name and also wasted the family property. As parents we have a big part to play in the upbringing of the children. I have to thanks my parents for giving me an early start of hard life without which I won't be able to manage the difficulties in life. 
1 person likes this
10 responses
@gvannorman (438)
• United States
13 Jan 12
Being rich does not make bad people. Taking care of your own is not the excuse for these kids not wanting to work.
If kids ruin their family name or waste what was given to them. The problem lies with the kids. They should have more respect for others and their family.
Of course if the parents are never around then that is where the issue is. As parents it is our responsibility to point our children in a direction that will lead them to a certain point later in life. When they reach that point, it is up to them to follow the right path. We can blame ourselves if our kids screw up. We can however be there to help them out. Of course if they take advantage of this, then it just may be time to let them go alone.
1 person likes this
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
13 Jan 12
That is the problem with some parents who disregard the proper molding of their children's characters because they were too busy accumulating wealth. We can't blame the children if they can't stand on their own two feet once they reach adulthood as they have been pampered by their parents. Wealth doesn't make them useful citizens but might be too contented with what they have making them unproductive adults.
@maximax8 (31046)
• United Kingdom
13 Jan 12
When she was a little girl my sister's mother-in-law lived in a building that looked like a castle. She was born into a rich family and when she left home she spent large amounts of money. She moved to Canada a short time after her second child was born. Altogether she has five sons. She is now over eighty years old. She lives in England in a rented flat overlooking the sea front.
She never taught my brother-in-law about conserving money and avoiding getting into debt. He always maxes out his credit cards. Luckily my sister is very much into conserving money and saving for a rainy day sort of thing. I can see how being born in a wealthy family does not guarantee a rich forever and successful life. One of my friends has the surname Rich and that makes me laugh.
@elitess (5070)
• Ipswich, England
13 Jan 12
Children should not be over spoiled and money (if existent) should be kept out of their reach. How else are they going to learn to manage in life (and I don't mean for them to be forced to resort to stealing from home). They should also be thought right from wrong their parents not given stuff all the time - this makes me think of Dudley from Harry Potter, when for his 11th birthday got 37 gifts and started messing around because he had 38 last year and only settled down after his mother promised him 2 more.
@savypat (20216)
• United States
13 Jan 12
We all want our children to have better lives then we have had. But what is so important is that we cannot live their lives for them, we must do all we can to prepare them for the challenges they will face. Since none of us can see the future a good all around education it best. Learn first that for everything there is a price and all of our choices should be based on this. Each and everyone is responsible for their own choices. If you do not teach your children this their lives are going to be full of pain and they will spend a long time feeling like victums.
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
15 Jan 12
Education is the greatest investment for our children. They will always be grateful to their parents if they have been given the best education as this will guarantee a bright future for them. Besides we should instill in them some spiritual knowledge so they are not only successful but God fearing.
@jtj_hello (627)
• Philippines
14 Jan 12
That is true. Wealth doesn't guarantee you anything that had not happened yet. If you worked hard for the money, yet the people who rely to you just spent it without even thinking of tomorrow, then you are doomed. Make sure that you save something so that you will have something when needed.
@naseemkum (1803)
• India
13 Jan 12
I dont know whats the necessity of paying the own money for what his son is working. As everybody learning to work for themselves so he deserve the money what he is working for. I think it wont make him a best guy as the father thinking is wrong and he planning his son to a different way. Its not a way to earn the basics of life still we need more caring and love towards our children it wil make them as superior among their life.
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
13 Jan 12
Maybe the reason why the father is paying his son salary is because he doesn't have the necessary qualifications for any job so in order for him to be employed in a company his father forced the company to take him and agreed to pay for his son salary just to give his son the working experience and teach him to be independent.
@WakeUpKitty (8694)
• Netherlands
13 Jan 12
I only partly agree with you. fact is that the wealthy ones have way more opportunities as the poor one. No matter how hard you work if nobody see you are a great working, someone you can trust you don't get a job.
The rest is just character/wisdom. Stupidity (how to manage life, to get the benefits from it) you can't buy with money. I think in this case it's more the lack of personal interest and raising that made this son the person to what he is.
@yaso4u (502)
• India
13 Jan 12
Hi Zandi,
Its diffcult situation for that guy. I had doubt on that guy approach only. If he is thought in elite schools and college means then he will be educated with good education. Through his education he must have been stand in his own leg for few years and gain exprience of the outside world before coming into his fathers business. Then he have the oppurtunity to think different from his father to guide his business. Now whats the problem is he is straight way following his fathers foot steo which will make him uneasy to handle the business. Now what he want to do is to think out of box and suggest some good idea about improving the business to impress him.
Yes, wealth alone can't make a person to sucess, need exprience and different thinking to get success.
@Kalebtheman (530)
• India
13 Jan 12
only by mastering the ability to survive in any circumstances, can anyone succeed in life. wealth is just a mirage which can be made real by hardwork
