Twenty-five year old Sahil Mehta moved out on his own to Berkeley, California at the age of sixteen when his father lost his job. This young man put himself through college while working two jobs and now earns over half a million US dollars annually. He saves for retirement, invests in properties and lives frugally so he can achieve his target goals.
What inspired me to write about this young adult is years of questioning why some celebrities and billionaires choose not to leave a trust fund for their children? Two decades ago, I was in scorn of Warren Buffett, (Berkshire Hathaway founder whose right hand man and chief advisor is Ajit Jain) because he chose to sell his used car to his son who did not have the money and had to pay him in installments. The other mind boggling story related to Jackie Chan who at the height of his career gave away most of his wealth instead of leaving a chunky inheritance for his kids. Around the world, including India, many have bequeathed a large portion of their material gains to charity. I finally understand: it is the ultimate sacrifice borne of love for their children.
As parents our foremost responsibility is to help our children build character. Above classic examples may be textbook fodder from the school of hard knocks, but one cannot deny that they instill a sense of pride and self-worth. It may be hard for some to take a ‘harsh’ route but at the least let us not cultivate a sense of entitlement as we all know where that has taken us as a society.
Above philosophising also stems from the gut wrenching news story making the rounds globally. It is hard to imagine what parents go through when their child is caught on the wrong side of the law. Once they are past the stage of indignation and reality sets in, the guilt is almost as formidable as the heartbreak that asserts itself. As such, our support is steadfast and sincere with a collective plea to the media that it refrain from playing judge and jury and allow the law to exercise due diligence.
On a final note, I am urged to speak up on this matter because living in the USA and personally attending college (after retirement), I observe what a slippery slope some of these kids who are sent abroad at an impressionable age can walk. A perfect recipe for disaster are peer pressure, temptations and a need for acceptance from a foreign culture. While we continue to send our children offshore for further studies, it is imperative that we choose a course of action that includes alternative parenting. Weekly FaceTime calls may not be sufficient to communicate expectations. Is it time to take an inventory of our own lifestyles and the message we may be sending? Can this incident serve as a wake-up call that renders futile the norms that have dictated our rising economic freedoms?
