Parenting Perspective 

Children are highly perceptive and easily absorb the emotions of those around them. When parents show visible anxiety about expenses through constant worry or tense discussions, their children often internalise that stress. Even if all their basic needs are being met, a child may begin to associate family life with a feeling of instability and financial worry. 

The Emotional Absorption of Stress 

A parent’s anxiety can become a child’s anxiety. The constant emotional tension disrupts the peaceful and secure atmosphere that a child needs in order to thrive, replacing it with a sense of unease. 

Fostering Feelings of Burden and Guilt 

When expense-related anxiety is expressed openly, children often feel that they are part of the problem. They may assume that the cost of their schooling, food, or clothing is causing distress to their parents. This misplaced guilt can lead to them feeling like a burden, making them hesitant to ask for even basic needs. 

The Strain on Emotional Security 

Anxiety in parents can unsettle the entire home environment. A child who senses constant worry may begin to feel unsafe, even if no real crisis exists. This can weaken their trust in their parents’ ability to protect and provide for them, undermining their overall sense of stability. 

The Long-Term Impact on Behaviour 

This early exposure to financial stress can have lasting effects. 

• Over-cautiousness: Some children may grow up fearful of spending, becoming overly frugal or anxious about money in adulthood. 

• Rebellion: Others may develop a resentment for their upbringing, chasing wealth as compensation for their childhood insecurity. 

• Emotional Withdrawal: Children might stop sharing their feelings, fearing they will only add more pressure to an already anxious home. 

Practical Guidance for Parents 

Parents can shield their children from these harms by processing financial worries privately while maintaining a calm demeanour in front of them. Gentle reassurance that challenges are temporary, maintaining steady routines, and emphasising gratitude can restore a sense of safety. Involving children in small, positive acts of responsibility, such as switching off lights to save energy, can give them a helpful role without overwhelming them. 

Spiritual Insight 

Islam teaches that while responsible financial management is important, a believer’s heart should be attached to Allah, not to worldly means. Parental anxiety over expenses can signal a weakness in one’s trust (tawakkul) in Allah as the ultimate Provider, and this anxiety can be unintentionally transferred to a child. 

A Quranic Reminder on Divine Reliance 

The Quran reminds us that our financial situations are ultimately in Allah’s control. Both abundance and restriction are from His divine wisdom. 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al Ankaboot (29), Verse 62: 

‘ Allah (Almighty) extends the nourishment for whoever He desires from His servants, and proportions it (as deemed appropriate); indeed, Allah (Almighty) is Omniscient over everything.‘ 

This verse teaches us that since financial shifts are part of Allah’s plan, our response should be one of patience and trust in His wisdom. 

The Prophetic Teaching on Balance and Calm 

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught that true peace comes not from worrying about expenses, but from being content with what Allah provides. 

It is recorded in Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1054, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘Successful is the one who accepts Islam, is given provision that suffices him, and Allah makes him content with what He has given him.’ 

This hadith highlights that true success is found in contentment, not in financial abundance. 

By turning their own financial anxiety into lessons on trust in Allah (tawakkul), parents can help their children to develop resilience. They can learn that love, security, and provision come ultimately from Allah, and that even in times of hardship, a calm and grateful heart preserves one’s dignity and strength.