Nita Ambani's middle-class values made sure that her kids never got any privileges. In fact, she shared that the Ambani's pocket money was a meagre amount!
Being the kids of one of the richest man in the world means being born with a silver spoon, right? Nope, you're wrong as despite being the kids from the richest Indian family, the Ambani's pocket money was only rupees five!
Yes, that's right! We were also in for a shock when we read that! But Nita Ambani's middle-class values made sure that her kids never got any privileges. In fact, she shared that she gave them only Rs 5 as pocket money.
The Ambani's pocket money was...
Mother to three kids, Akash, Ananta and Isha, Nita Ambani made sure that her kids learned to respect money at a very young age.
"When my kids were still young, I’d give them Rs 5 each every Friday to spend in the school canteen. One day, my youngest, Anant, came running into my bedroom and demanded he be given Rs 10 instead," she shared in an interview.
On asking him why he wanted Rs 10, Anant shared that his classmates used to tease him.
"When I questioned him, he said his pals in school laughed whenever they saw him take out a five-rupee coin saying,‘Tu Ambani hai ya bhikari!’ Mukesh and I couldn’t help but crack up!" she said in that interview.
Nita Ambani's middle-class parenting style
But that's not the sole incident which gives a glimpse of Nita Ambani's parenting style. The Ambani daughter-in-law always made sure that her kids never misused the family money.
“My mum was a disciplinarian and we were barely allowed to go out — just four times in a year — and there was no pocket money given. Not to mention my curfew, which was midnight," she said.
It must be noted here that it was the very same middle-class upbringing that impressed Kokila Ben Ambani. In fact, her kids also used public transport during school and college. Nita shared another incident from her courtship days.
“When Mukesh and I were seeing each other, he would pick me up in his Merc. One day, I asked him to see my mode of travel and we took a BEST bus. I’m glad that my kids have also used public transport for their college trips. Life is about being aware of things around.”
Teaching your kids to value money
The story of Ambani's pocket money throws light into a very important parenting concern, which is how to teach your kids to value money.
Many parents of today are scared that their kids won't be able to respect money as their kids have more privileges than they ever had when they were young. However, a few everyday habits can make sure they do. Here's how:
1. Not giving in to all their demands: If you're a kind of parent who buys each and everything your child asks, it's time you stopped. But instead of just giving a "No" as an answer, give them your reasons for doing so. For example, explain why you would want your daughter to think before buying another Barbie.
2. Investing in a piggy bank: This is something I do with my daughter. She saves every bit of money she receives from her dad or me or anyone else and keeps it in her piggy bank. The piggy bank is opened on her birthday every year and she can buy anything she wants from that money as a reward.
This simple action has not only taught her the importance of saving money but also made her familiar with the different denominations of coins and rupee notes.
3. Taking them shopping with you: Another way of teaching your kids about how the finances work for your family every month is by taking them shopping.
Not only that involve them while buying their favourite things so that they come to know that nothing is free in this world. Older kids can even be given a monthly budget in which they can buy their favourite monthly supplies.
Read: 3 parenting secrets from Bill Gates that every parent must know of