Sting’s Kids Won’t Inherit His Millions Because He Says It’s The Worst Thing A Parent Can Do
In an age of what feels like more nepo babies than the world has ever seen before, some celebrities are still trying to do what they can to teach their kids about the value of a dollar and the importance of hard work.
One of the stars attempting to change the narrative about how the children of the rich and famous are being treated is British rock icon Sting. He shared in a recent interview that he has no plans to give his kids any of his wealth, and it’s not the first time he’s insisted his kids will have to find their own way in the world.
Sting is believed to have a £180 million fortune, but his children won’t benefit from it as much as you might think.
In an interview with CBS Sunday Morning, the father of six said, “I think the worst thing you can do to a kid is to say, ‘You don’t have to work.’ I think that’s a form of abuse that I hope I’m never guilty of.”
Luckily, it sounds like this isn’t too much of a problem with his children. He continued, “All of my kids have been blessed with [an] extraordinary work ethic, whether it’s the DNA of it or whether I’ve said to them, ‘Guys, you’ve got to work. I’m spending our money. I’m paying for your education. You’ve got shoes on your feet. Go. Go to work.’”
Sting argued that there’s nothing wrong with this mindset, although some people might take issue with it. “That’s not cruel,” he explained. “I think there’s a kindness there and a trust that they will make their own way. They’re tough, my kids.”
Sting shared similar thoughts about his kids and his money before, and provided a possible explanation for why he feels so strongly about this.
In a 2014 interview with Mail on Sunday Event magazine, he said of his children, “They have to work. All my kids know that and they rarely ask me for anything, which I really respect and appreciate.”
Sting clarified that there’s no need for people to worry about his kids’ well-being because of his approach to finances. “Obviously, if they were in trouble, I would help them, but I’ve never really had to do that,” he noted.
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According to the Mail on Sunday Event piece, Sting grew up as Gordon Sumner in North Tyneside with a humble background. His father worked as a milkman, while his mother was a hairdresser.
It was actually a brief encounter with the Queen Mother when she drove through his hometown in her Rolls-Royce that made him decide to turn his life around. “The Queen Mum waved and looked at me, and I looked back at her, and that was it,” he shared. “There and then, I thought, I am going to be rich, famous, successful, and drive a Rolls-Royce like her.”
Wealthy parents don’t have to cut their kids off, but they can’t neglect teaching them about how money works either.
Everyone has a different opinion about how much wealthy parents should help their kids financially, and it’s especially easy to pass judgment when you’re far from ever being in that situation yourself. Some will certainly disagree, but Sting’s promise to be there in an emergency but never spoil his children sounds like a good balance.
Kathleen Grace, the CEO of Fiduciary Family Office, regularly comes across parents who ask, “How much is too much in order to not ruin them?” She believes one of the best things wealthy parents can do is educate their children about money the same way that a working-class family would.
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Even though these kids are used to privilege, they shouldn’t automatically get anything they want, Grace said. Wealthy parents have a responsibility to teach their kids about saving money and give them the chance to do so with an allowance, just like other parents do.
Parents should support their children, but that doesn’t mean they have to financially support them. As Sting said, it’s often most beneficial to teach kids to work hard and be able to stand on their own two feet instead of removing as many obstacles from their lives as possible.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
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