Why I will not subject my children to the so called "African tax"
One thing I am going to ensure is that I don't subject my kids to the African/black tax.
I know many will argue that unlike in other places, our African set up makes this inevitable.That unlike in Europe where you have education loans for example to relieve parents of the burden of educating their kids, in Africa parents have to see their kids through until they get jobs.
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So unlike European kids who are out of their parents care by 16,17,18 years of age our kids won't until they're 23, 24 or even 30 years of age when they're done and have gotten a job to support themselves.
By then the parents are old and worn out having spent their entire lives raising their kids and trying to give them the best in life.
As much as this is our reality, I am wondering why we can't change it. Should we then say this is what we have been condemned to and it's cast in stone that for ever life eternity that will be our destiny?
Personally I want to disagree. Social constructs are a human creation and can change if the people who created them decide they should and intentionally work towards that.
Raising our young ones is an animalistic natural calling but we shouldn't get lost in this calling and totally forget that as parents we also have a duty to take care of ourselves throughout our life time.
In the process of looking after our kids all we do is spend on health, feeding, housing, education, clothing name it. For me that is only one part of the double edged equation.
The equation of raising your kids is an expense equation. The equation of taking care of yourself through your life time is an investment equation and this is where you have to get it right in this delicate balance.
Unfortunately we are largely only a consumptive society.
The money you earn today will take care of you and your kids while the investments you make today will take care of you in your old age and supporting you will not be an obligation your kids have to live with but a choice of good will incase they desire to.
So as you out spend to try and give your kids the best in life remember to invest something for the future. For every Shs 10,000 you spend on your kids, invest Shs 3,000 for yourself for the future.
I'm doing this for my kids and will ask them to do so for their kids so we can have pattern that can later change our social construct.
Don't wait for the government to intervene with student loans, take the bull by the horns. Start investing for your future today.
Jaluum Herberts Luwizza is a Speaker,Writer and Business Columnist with the Nile Post.He is also a Business Consultant at YOUNG TREP a Business Management and Consultancy firm that helps people start and grow profitable businesses and YTS Associates Certified Public Accountants.
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