She Strengthens

Lessons from the Sidelines: How My Mom Taught Me the Value of Money

Growing up, I was always destined to follow in my marathoner father’s footsteps – tall, long-legged, and built for running. But my enthusiasm for the sport was lukewarm at best. Despite this, my mother signed me up for the cross-country team when I was 12, and I reluctantly joined.

The Swag Conundrum

Each year, the senior girls would hand out order forms for team swag – a t-shirt, sweatshirt, and sweatpants. My first year, my parents bought me the t-shirt, which I wore with pride. But when I asked my mother to purchase the entire set the following year, she refused, citing that I already had a team t-shirt and plenty of sweatshirts. She encouraged me to use my own money if I wanted the rest.

A Valuable Lesson

I was disappointed, but my mother’s decision taught me a valuable lesson. If I was unwilling to spend my own money on something, it probably wasn’t that important to me. This realization has stuck with me into adulthood, where I now measure my true feelings about something based on my willingness to spend money on it.

Prioritizing Spending

My mother’s refusal to buy me the swag also taught me to prioritize my spending. I’ve learned to focus on things that truly matter to me, like dresses, which I wear frequently and feel great in. On the other hand, I don’t waste money on things that don’t bring me value, like expensive purses.

The Folly of Keeping Up with the Joneses

Not having the same swag as my teammates didn’t ruin my life. In fact, it taught me that I don’t need something just because everyone else has it. This lesson has carried over into my adult life, where I’ve learned that nobody is paying as much attention to me as I think they are.

A Lasting Legacy

I still have that blue t-shirt from my cross-country days, now over 15 years old and worn out. It’s a reminder of the incredible gift my mother gave me – the ability to be discerning with my money and to assess what I truly want. Her refusal to buy me the swag may have been a small moment, but it has had a lasting impact on my financial habits and priorities.