Mom, we must be rich right? How to respond.

[Anonymous]

Op here - thanks for the replies. Some helpful responses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My father answered this with "we are fortunate, but we are better than no one." 20 years later I still remember it.

Wow. I am tucking that away should I need it someday. Sometimes the littlest things make the biggest impact.

This is awesome.

I like this too!

I'm glad you all like this. The backstory is my dad did prison ministry and worked for a nonprofit serving the poorest neighborhood in St. Louis City while I was growing up. I asked him about our financial situation after visiting a family with him and that was the response. It definitely cleared up the stigma of working with those less fortunate. One of my first jobs after college was at that nonprofit and I got to interview our clients for our quarterly newsletter. They were such wonderful and grateful people who had lived interesting lives. I'd say most of them were truly better people than I am. It's a lesson that I remember everyday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unless your children are feature here YOU ARE NOT RICH

http://richkidsofinstagram.tumblr.com/

http://www.businessinsider.com/rich-babies-of-instagram-2015-5?op=1

UGH!

Tacky Ukrainian bimbos whose daddies stole money from their people and Middle Eastern oil king heirs who look like pimps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless your children are feature here YOU ARE NOT RICH

http://richkidsofinstagram.tumblr.com/

http://www.businessinsider.com/rich-babies-of-instagram-2015-5?op=1

UGH!

Tacky Ukrainian bimbos whose daddies stole money from their people and Middle Eastern oil king heirs who look like pimps.

Don't hate the player hate the game

[Anonymous]

You don't go to the splash park, it comes with you on your yacht

[Anonymous]

You don't go to the splash park, it comes with you on your yacht

[Anonymous]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the best way to address class issues with a 6 year old? His observation is true.

"Yes, sweetie, we are very lucky to have all that we need. Others aren't so fortunate. Is there anything you want to talk about, any questions?"

I think it's a great opportunity to talk about a whole host of things. I've had to introduce the idea of privilege to my own children, who are barely school-age. It's part of our family practice of gratitude. It's also an expansion of our guiding principle of making good choices. Just because we have the ability to do certain things---I dunno, buy 100 bey blades or action figures----doesn't mean that we do. We put our money into what we value, and aren't we lucky? Mommy gets to stay home because we have the money to allow for this luxury. Doing well at school and working together as a family are what helped us, what created this situation. Having enough money to be comfortable doesn't mean we don't have responsibilities. You have to work hard at school and continue to make good choices, honey. Remember that not everybody has choices and that life can be very hard for a lot of people.

I haven't looked through all of the responses. I hope that it's been constructive.

Compassion, hard work, unity---these are all meaningful words. I hope you're able to use this as an entry point for a terrific, life-long conversation about social justice.

What a weird message for a kid. You are basically telling your kid that you are richer and luckier than families where the mom works.

It's also pretty ironic that someone who touts hard work as a way to wealth doesn't work (at least not for pay).

GO AWAY. There are umpteen threads about what you seem to want to turn this thread to be about. Join one of those.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the best way to address class issues with a 6 year old? His observation is true.

"Yes, sweetie, we are very lucky to have all that we need. Others aren't so fortunate. Is there anything you want to talk about, any questions?"

I think it's a great opportunity to talk about a whole host of things. I've had to introduce the idea of privilege to my own children, who are barely school-age. It's part of our family practice of gratitude. It's also an expansion of our guiding principle of making good choices. Just because we have the ability to do certain things---I dunno, buy 100 bey blades or action figures----doesn't mean that we do. We put our money into what we value, and aren't we lucky? Mommy gets to stay home because we have the money to allow for this luxury. Doing well at school and working together as a family are what helped us, what created this situation. Having enough money to be comfortable doesn't mean we don't have responsibilities. You have to work hard at school and continue to make good choices, honey. Remember that not everybody has choices and that life can be very hard for a lot of people.

I haven't looked through all of the responses. I hope that it's been constructive.

Compassion, hard work, unity---these are all meaningful words. I hope you're able to use this as an entry point for a terrific, life-long conversation about social justice.

What a weird message for a kid. You are basically telling your kid that you are richer and luckier than families where the mom works.

It's also pretty ironic that someone who touts hard work as a way to wealth doesn't work (at least not for pay).

GO AWAY. There are umpteen threads about what you seem to want to turn this thread to be about. Join one of those.

What are you, 5? Are you seriously yelling go away?

[Anonymous]

Have some humility.

Do you live in a $17 million dollar house and have your own private jet?

Thats rich.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have some humility.

Do you live in a $17 million dollar house and have your own private jet?

Thats rich.

This is one of the most pernicious elements of America's obsession with being "middle class." No one thinks they are rich, because everyone knows someone richer than them. The reason this is so harmful is because, if the rich truly believe they are middle class, then they also think they earned everything they have. They can't see their own privilege, just because there's a stockbroker or a law partner or lobbyist at their kids' school that is wealthier than they are.

This is the attitude many of us are trying to avoid, by actively talking about privilege, and relative wealth. Because so many kids (especially in the DCUM demographic) were born on 3rd, thought they hit a triple, and can't understand why others can't just bootstrap themselves around the bases.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have some humility.

Do you live in a $17 million dollar house and have your own private jet?

Thats rich.

This is one of the most pernicious elements of America's obsession with being "middle class." No one thinks they are rich, because everyone knows someone richer than them. The reason this is so harmful is because, if the rich truly believe they are middle class, then they also think they earned everything they have. They can't see their own privilege, just because there's a stockbroker or a law partner or lobbyist at their kids' school that is wealthier than they are.

This is the attitude many of us are trying to avoid, by actively talking about privilege, and relative wealth. Because so many kids (especially in the DCUM demographic) were born on 3rd, thought they hit a triple, and can't understand why others can't just bootstrap themselves around the bases.

Honestly, I beg to differ. People who are truly, truly rich - and keep their wealth for generations - do not talk about being rich. Not on anonymous websites, not in person, and not to their kids. They just don't.

If you don't want your kids to be spoiled, don't spoil them. Don't live in a fancy house. Don't buy a lot of stuff. Don't spend your money. (btw, this is also how can you can stay rich).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have some humility.

Do you live in a $17 million dollar house and have your own private jet?

Thats rich.

This is one of the most pernicious elements of America's obsession with being "middle class." No one thinks they are rich, because everyone knows someone richer than them. The reason this is so harmful is because, if the rich truly believe they are middle class, then they also think they earned everything they have. They can't see their own privilege, just because there's a stockbroker or a law partner or lobbyist at their kids' school that is wealthier than they are.

This is the attitude many of us are trying to avoid, by actively talking about privilege, and relative wealth. Because so many kids (especially in the DCUM demographic) were born on 3rd, thought they hit a triple, and can't understand why others can't just bootstrap themselves around the bases.

Honestly, I beg to differ. People who are truly, truly rich - and keep their wealth for generations - do not talk about being rich. Not on anonymous websites, not in person, and not to their kids. They just don't.

If you don't want your kids to be spoiled, don't spoil them. Don't live in a fancy house. Don't buy a lot of stuff. Don't spend your money. (btw, this is also how can you can stay rich).

By the way, this is not to say you shouldn't talk about money, and saving, and donating to charity, and being fortunate, etc. But that discussion doesn't require a pronouncement that you are rich.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have some humility.

Do you live in a $17 million dollar house and have your own private jet?

Thats rich.

This is one of the most pernicious elements of America's obsession with being "middle class." No one thinks they are rich, because everyone knows someone richer than them. The reason this is so harmful is because, if the rich truly believe they are middle class, then they also think they earned everything they have. They can't see their own privilege, just because there's a stockbroker or a law partner or lobbyist at their kids' school that is wealthier than they are.

This is the attitude many of us are trying to avoid, by actively talking about privilege, and relative wealth. Because so many kids (especially in the DCUM demographic) were born on 3rd, thought they hit a triple, and can't understand why others can't just bootstrap themselves around the bases.

Honestly, I beg to differ. People who are truly, truly rich - and keep their wealth for generations - do not talk about being rich. Not on anonymous websites, not in person, and not to their kids. They just don't.

If you don't want your kids to be spoiled, don't spoil them. Don't live in a fancy house. Don't buy a lot of stuff. Don't spend your money. (btw, this is also how can you can stay rich).

Actually not all. DH and I both have wealth from generations of wealth. I post on DCUM all the time and when the subject of wealth comes up I post about it. The circles we run in, money and wealth actually comes up quite a bit. Most are obsessed with it. New and old money.

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately people are confusing class with money. The two do not always go hand-in-hand, especially in the USA.