The Report Card Your Parents Never Gave You

Good morning, class. Please, put your math books away. Today, we are not going to talk about algebra or history. Today, we are going to talk about the most important subject that is never on your syllabus. My name is Dr. Celso, and I am not a medical doctor. I am a financial doctor from Goa. And I have come to tell you that your 95% in Science will not pay the bills, but understanding money will give you the freedom to enjoy your science.

The Silent Subject in Every Indian Home

In our homes, we have a beautiful, powerful, but often silent guest. Its name is Money. We work so hard for it. We stay up late for promotions because of it. We argue sometimes, worrying about it. But do we ever sit down as a family and truly talk to it? Do we teach it how to grow? Or do we only teach our children to fear its absence?

Think of your father’s salary as a mighty river. Every month, it flows into our home. But if we have no canals, no pipelines, no reservoirs built—that precious water just flows away, lost to the ground. Financial literacy is the skill to build those canals. To direct some water for today’s groceries, some for your college next year, and some to create a lake that will quench our thirst forever.

Marks get you a job. Financial wisdom gets you a life where you don't need the job to survive.

The Two Students: Rohan and Priya

Let me tell you about two brilliant students from a school much like this one. Rohan scored 98% and became a top engineer. He got a massive salary. He bought a big car, took lavish holidays, and lived a "successful" life. But his money was like a guest who came and left immediately. At 45, with parents needing care and children’s fees rising, he is trapped in his job, anxious, working for the next paycheck.

Then there was Priya. She scored 85%. Good, but not the topper. Her father, a shopkeeper, taught her one simple thing: "Priya, whenever money comes, pay yourself first." From her first internship, she saved a small amount—just Rs. 500—and put it in a simple mutual fund. She did this every month. She lived well, but not lavishly. She built her canals. Today, at 45, her money works so hard for her that she has choices. She can take care of her family, support her passions, and sleep peacefully.

Who is truly educated? The one with higher marks, or the one with higher financial intelligence?

Your Practical Lesson: Start Building Your Canals Today

This is not for "later." This starts now, with you. You don't need a salary to become financially literate. You need curiosity and the courage to change your family's story.

• Become a Family Translator: Ask your parents to explain one bill—electricity, mobile, insurance. Understand where the money goes. This simple act starts the conversation.
• Master the Rule of Three Jars: For any money you get—pocket money, gift cash—divide it mentally: one part for Spending (today), one part for Saving (for a goal), one part for Investing (for your future self).
• Question Everything: When you see an advertisement for a loan or a "sale," ask: "Who benefits more here, me or them?" This critical thinking is your shield.
• Start the 'Why' at Home: Instead of just asking for a new phone, ask, "How does our family plan for big expenses?" Shift the talk from demands to understanding.

The greatest wealth you can build is not in your bank account, but in your mindset. Let's make financial literacy the loudest, most celebrated subject in your home.

Your financial report card determines your life's choices, long after your academic grades are forgotten.