Introducing: "Money Talks"

A financial literacy journal chronicling one daddy and daughter’s journey toward generational wealth

To my precious Parker. Daddy loves you very much.

“Promise me you gon’ stack. Promise me you gon’ ball.
“Promise me you’ll invest, three-fourths of it all.
“(Man, for what?) So yo’ kids’, kids’, kids can have some cheese,
“Can’t get with it? Get, get, get, get, get on your knees,
“Cause wealth is the word. Rich is ‘round the corner from the curb,
“Don’t like what I write, shoot me a bird.” – Andre “3000” Benjamin

This project, like most things that matter to me these days, is about my daughter Parker. She is 9 at the time of this writing, and she has changed my life beyond belief.

I am a proud girl dad, and it’s a privilege to be the father of such a sweet kid. I thank God Parker is healthy, happy and loved by many. As her father, it is my duty to protect and provide for her as best as I can.

To do this, I relocated to Chicago from Oklahoma City in the fall of 2017 to stay close and connected to her in the aftermath of divorce. I never knew my father and vowed as a child never to let my future child/children experience that reality. Consequently, perhaps, nothing tugs at my heart more than fatherhood. I’m incredibly grateful for the unbreakable bond I share with Parker today. It continues growing stronger every day.

We often talk about breaking the cycle of fatherless children, and I have committed to being a positive and permanent presence in Parker’s life. But I cannot truly break the proverbial cycle without instilling a comprehensive understanding of money and a playbook on making wise financial choices. My mere presence isn’t enough. What I’m teaching and how I’m teaching it matters just as much. And too often, the topic of money gets lost in the mix. Not anymore. Not in my household.

The wealth gap in America is real and only growing. Check out this chilling paragraph from a November 2022 article at smartasset.com.

A 2015 report by the Institute for Policy Studies found that the Forbes 400, the 400 wealthiest families in the country, “own about as much wealth as the nation’s entire African-American population ­– plus more than a third of the Latino population ­– combined.” As we’ve seen, millionaires and billionaires have been getting an ever-larger share of the wealth pie and most millionaires and billionaires in this country are white.

Education is our best weapon against this long-standing, systemic crisis that disproportionately affects people who look like us. Considering our people’s plight, the sooner we become aware of the problem the quicker we can do everything in our might to solve it.

But they don’t teach this stuff in school! The longer I live and the more I learn, the more I can’t help but conclude there’s a reason for that.

That’s why I started having “money talks” with Parker just before her 9th birthday. She’s already sort of sick of them. Deep down, I think she really enjoys them. I know she’s already learned a lot! I’m not stopping, Parker…Ever! By the time Parker is 19, she’s going to be a financial beast, hopefully teaching Daddy. If all goes according to plan, she’ll be well on her way to financial independence before graduating high school.

This project was launched in part to help her achieve that. To help hold me accountable in getting her off to an amazing start. And to allow me to spout my “money talks” somewhere productive even when Parker doesn’t want to listen.

The writings in this space are designed primarily as letters to my daughter, a blueprint to help guide her through her financial future. Or as late philosopher and poet Christopher Wallace put it:

“A step-by-step booklet,
“For you to get,
“Your game on track,
“Not your wig pushed back.”

This project also is for me. It already has been therapeutic. It’s allowed me to get thoughts out of my head that only a handful can stand to hear me ramble on about. A light bulb has come on, and I can’t turn it off. I don’t want to. For the first time in my life, I see a successful future irrespective of employment. That’s because now I understand that everything starts with me: altering my mindset first, then improving my behaviors. I’m accepting the challenge and daring to be different, to live differently than I ever have.

Many reading this inaugural entry probably follow me because of my day job. But I won’t be writing about basketball here. I’ve spent the entirety of my post-graduate professional years chronicling the careers of others. The time has come for me to journal my journey. I can’t dunk a basketball. But stick around. I believe our content has value to everyone.

Admittedly, what I’m doing sounds absurd. And I’m a bit self-conscious about it. Who declares they’re on a quest to build generational wealth and then writes about it? And actually thinks people will care?

But I wish I knew much earlier in life all the things I started teaching Parker at 8. Who knows where I’d be today? What brings me incredible joy is the knowledge that Parker, by starting young, inevitably will know infinitely more than I do when it comes to money. She’s already been instructed to have these same “money talks” with her future children, which she says she wants someday, so that all the information is passed down. That’s when generational wealth truly will begin forming.

I will benefit only so much from my efforts. I’m at peace with that. What fuels me is knowing Parker and her children — and her grandchildren and great grandchildren — will benefit in abundance.

This project also is for my mother, who still is passing down everything she can, from unmatched wise counsel to unsolicited wads of cash. But she made her living as a librarian and diplomat, not a financial expert. She did the best she could, but as a single mother of four she didn’t have much time remaining for “money talks.” She’s been pleasantly surprised at how much my talks with her have helped her learn even at 74. It’s also for my three brothers, their wives and their 11 children, my awesome nieces and nephews, and their unborn children.

And my hope is that by sharing our family’s journey, you and your family will grow with us and we’ll become stronger financially together. This is for any hard-working person or family who hasn’t found a better way.

I’m a career sports writer who makes a modest salary in an expensive city. Yet I believe I can transform my life, starting with my mindset and behaviors before feeling it in my finances. The past six months have shown me just how connected all three are. In my pursuit of generational wealth, I have stumbled into a higher purpose of wellness and healthy living.

The pursuit of money is not what’s paramount. It is simply a byproduct, but an important resource nonetheless.

And I believe if I can transform, anyone can. It will take sacrifice, discipline, patience and an insatiable appetite for learning to get where we’re going. But I’m ready.

Everyone’s reality is different. I’m fortunate in that I’m starting almost debt free, with only a small amount outstanding from my divorce.

I’ve never had student loans and don’t recommend them to Parker. My 2009 Dodge Journey is paid off, and even with 192,000 miles I plan to someday giddily give it to Parker as her first vehicle. I do not own my home, or any property, but I plan to. I rent a small apartment not far from work. I pay child support, proudly now. The majority of my assets are in the stock market, which I’ve only been investing in seriously over the past four months, insurance and retirement accounts. I have no other real assets or liabilities. I have excellent credit.

Others have done more with less. Some have accomplished less with more. The key here is to run our race and never let up. I believe we can do this.

Join us on our journey to change our lives!

---