Raising a Boy to Be a ManSample

Raising a Boy Who Isn’t Mastered by Money

When our son was very young, we made the countercultural decision not to save for his college education. He knew early on if he wanted to go to college, he’d have to find a way to pay for it. It meant he had to work during his high school years, not to afford the latest video game, but to afford his first semester.

It was a lot of pressure and could have easily resulted in a relentless pursuit of money to achieve his goals. To help him not be mastered by the quest for money, we also taught him to follow a simple formula when he was paid (10-80-10).

·Dedicate the first 10% as a tithe to God.

·Use the next 80% for long-term goals and necessities (saving for college, buying a car, paying for car insurance, gas, etc.).

·Use the last 10% to play (buy a guitar, go bowling, hang out with friends).

All of this helped him to look at college opportunities much differently than his peers. He had to be more efficient. Instead of looking at school brochures, touring campuses, and worrying about who had the best sports team, he looked at course catalogs, read class syllabi, and analyzed his potential return on investment.

But what surprised me was what happened when it came to finding a job. He instinctively looked for one that would allow him to put God first. If, during an interview, a particular employer mentioned required work on Sunday, he’d turn the job down. If, after working for a few weeks, an employer tried to change his schedule to include Sundays, he’d firmly and respectfully tell them “no.” When an employer refused to honor his boundaries, he quit and found a job that would.

It took me well into my adult years to have that type of conviction.

How about you? Are you trying to serve both God and money? Is there a change you need to make to show your son how to put money in its proper place?