When was the last time you sat down and thought, “If I keep doing what I’m doing with money, where will I be in 10 years?”
Most people avoid that question like they avoid checking their bank balance after a weekend out. But if we want our kids to thrive financially, we as adults need to wake up to our own money block spots, first.
We’re Living in a Financial Fear Factory
Everywhere you look, society is designed to keep you in a state of not enoughness – with broke family members giving you advice, friends telling you to play it safe, news headlines curating doomsday energy within the economy and a culture obsessed with living paycheck to paycheck.
How many people do you know who grew up hearing “We can’t afford it”? That phrase wasn’t just about that new Barbie or BMX bike; it embedded a scarcity script that says money is hard, money is stressful, and you’ll never have enough.
And then you turn 18, get a credit card (because everyone said that’s just what adults do), and start the debt cycle before you even know what financial freedom feels like.
Adults Need to Change First
The uncomfortable truth is if you’re not financially literate, your kids probably won’t be either. Kids don’t learn about money by doing Year 10 economics (I’m a Money Coach and the only thing I remember about this class is how funny looking my teachers moustache was). They learn by watching you tap your card at Woolies while holding your breath, fighting with your partner about bills, or celebrating your pay day with a shopping spree because you deserve it (even if your bank account says otherwise).
Our beliefs and behaviours around money are shaped in childhood and become our autopilot as adults. That’s why it’s so important to unlearn the scarcity, fear, and lack-based thinking handed down to us, and replace it with empowered financial literacy: understanding how money works, how to manage it with structure and strategy, and how to create long-term wealth rather than just get by each week.
Kids Need Real Money Education, Not Just Budgeting
Budgeting – as you know it – plays a role, but it’s like giving someone a Band-Aid for a broken leg. Budgeting implies restriction and gives “doing as you’re told” vibe, which only supports a Childs core belief of not trusting in themselves and not feeling enough. Kids need to learn how to make money, manage it, multiply it, and master their emotions around it. Otherwise, they’ll end up believing that saving 10% is “good enough” while drowning in Afterpay and car loan repayments.
Imagine if our children knew:
- How to structure their income to create freedom and peace of mind.
- The power of self-discipline with money, not from restriction but from self-respect.
- That money isn’t just numbers on a screen, it’s a tool for impact, growth, and living their dreams.
Break The Cycle
If you’re reading this, you’re part of a generation with an opportunity to break generational money trauma. We’re living in a world that thrives off keeping us confused, overwhelmed, and reliant on external systems. But true financial literacy empowers you to trust yourself, make clear decisions, and create a life of overflow rather than just survival.
Overflow exists. Money is an unlimited resource – it gets printed daily. There is more than enough to go around, you just need to understand how money works and if your beliefs and spending habits support wealth accumulation or constant overspending.
So ask yourself this: What financial behaviours and beliefs are you passing down to your kids right now – and are they worth it?
By Kim Kent
Money Coach & Financial Empowerment Advocate
Kim Kent is a money coach on a mission to disrupt outdated financial advice and empower women to build wealth without fear, guilt or rigid budgets. After blowing a $62K inheritance in her 20s, Kim rebuilt her relationship with money through mindset work and structured, feel-good money management. Today, she helps women break free from scarcity conditioning, heal emotional money trauma and create financial freedom on their own terms.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimkent__/
Website: www.wealthyaf.com.au
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