Why I Flew My 9-Year-Olds to Uganda Instead of Disneyland
Teaching wealth responsibility starts with global perspective, not portfolio statements
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Today, in 5 minutes or less, you’ll learn:
🌍 How service experiences can transform your family’s view of wealth
👨👩👦 Why legacy-building is more than passing down assets
💡 How to raise impact-driven leaders with intentional money conversations
Hey Portfolio CEOs,
One of the greatest fears many wealth creators share (and don't speak about) is how their success might impact their children.
As a parent, the last thing you want is for your kids to grow up feeling entitled or disconnected from the hard work it took to build and sustain financial security.
That fear—of raising "entitled jerks"—isn't just personal; it's universal among high-earning tech professionals.
But here's what I've learned: fear can be reframed with intention, experiences, and a thoughtful approach that redefines what wealth represents in your family.
The best way to move forward isn't through traditional "money talks" or opening custodial accounts—it's through experiential education that connects wealth to impact.
This week, I'll share the framework my family developed after taking our three boys to Uganda instead of Disneyland, and how this experience transformed our entire approach to wealth transfer.
Understanding how to instill wealth responsibility is the first step toward building a lasting legacy.
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The Decision That Changed Everything
In 2023, I looked at my three boys—ages nine, nine, and ten—and realized we had a problem. They lived in our Silicon Hills (Austin) bubble, surrounded by abundance they'd never questioned. Their biggest worry was whether their iPad would charge fast enough for the next gaming session.
That's when my wife and I made a choice that confused some friends and concerned others: instead of another Disneyland vacation, we booked flights to Uganda.
Not for sightseeing. Not for adventure. For service.
We partnered with the Ugandan Water Project to give our kids a front-row seat to what wealth can actually accomplish.
I'll be honest—I was nervous as hell. Would this traumatize them? Would they understand? Was I pushing too hard, too early?
But watching my boys meet children their exact age who spent hours each day just finding clean water?
Kids who missed school because they were boiling and cleaning water their families needed to survive?
That's when something clicked.
What Silicon Hills Kids Learn from Water Poverty
Our boys saw firsthand how a single well—something that costs less than what some families spend on a weekend trip—could change entire communities.
They watched kids their age transform from water-carriers to students when simple infrastructure freed up their time.
The conversation in our house shifted overnight.
Instead of asking "How much does this cost?" they started asking "How much impact could this create?"
Instead of seeing money as something to spend, they began understanding it as a tool for multiplication.
This is what I realized: Wealth isn't just about the numbers in your portfolio. It's about the impact those numbers can generate.
When we returned home, I had to know: did we make the right choice? I asked the boys directly—"We spent the money to take you to Uganda instead of Disneyland. Do you think we made the right decision?"
Without hesitation, all three said yes.
That response told me everything I needed to know about the power of experiential wealth education.
The Four Pillars of Wealth Responsibility
After years of managing portfolios like businesses, I knew I needed to approach this systematically. Here's the framework that emerged from our experience:
1. Global Perspective: Breaking the Privilege Bubble
Wealth can create distance or connection—the choice is yours.
Our kids needed to see beyond their zip code. Not through guilt or shame, but through genuine curiosity about how other people live, work, and solve problems. This isn't about making them feel bad for having advantages. It's about helping them understand those advantages come with opportunities.
Implementation: We now plan multiple family service experiences annually. It doesn't have to be international—we've done local food banks, homeless shelters, and community rebuilding projects. The key is consistent exposure to different realities.
2. Impact Investing Mindset: Philanthropy as ROI
I stopped talking about charity and started talking about impact investing.
When you frame giving as investment—measuring outcomes, tracking results, scaling what works—kids start thinking like entrepreneurs about social problems. They begin asking better questions: "What's the return on this investment?" "How do we measure success?" "Can this model scale?"
Implementation: We track our family giving like any other investment. The boys help research organizations, review impact reports, and even suggest pivots when something isn't working.
3. Problem-Solving Development: From Consumers to Creators
The Uganda experience sparked something I hadn't expected: my kids started seeing problems as opportunities.
They came home asking why clean water was so hard to deliver, whether technology could make it cheaper, and how many communities could benefit from better systems. They'd shifted from passive consumers to active problem-solvers.
Implementation: We dedicate family time to exploring solutions, not just problems. Whether it's water scarcity, educational access, or local community issues, we research what's being tried and what gaps still exist.
4. Intentional Legacy Building: Purpose-Driven Wealth
This is where it connects to everything we talk about in wealth management. Building generational wealth isn't just about passing down assets—it's about passing down the wisdom to use those assets meaningfully.
Our family mission became clear: our wealth exists to create impact and opportunity, both for our family and for others.
Implementation: We've started including the boys in age-appropriate family financial discussions. Not the details of our portfolio, but the principles behind our decisions and the purposes driving our wealth building.
The Hidden ROI of Service Trips
Here's a bonus I didn't expect: many service trips structured through registered charities can be tax-deductible. We're not doing this for the tax benefits, but it's worth knowing that the IRS recognizes the value of this kind of education.
More importantly, these experiences have completely transformed the type of customers and clients I attract. When people see that your wealth building connects to genuine impact, they want to work with you differently. Authentic purpose draws authentic relationships.
Three Questions Every Tech Parent Must Answer
As you think about your own family's relationship with wealth, ask yourself:
What do you want your wealth to stand for? Is it a tool for freedom, security, impact, or something else entirely? How does this align with your family values?
How are you preparing the next generation? Are you teaching your children to grow, manage, and use wealth responsibly? What systems or experiences can you put in place to guide them?
What steps are you taking today to shape your legacy? Whether through philanthropy, education, or global experiences, how are you ensuring your wealth creates meaningful change for generations to come?
Your Next Steps
Start small, but start now. You don't need to book flights to Uganda tomorrow (though if you're called to do something like that, don't let logistics stop you).
Here's what you can implement this month:
Research local service opportunities your family can do together
Start tracking your family giving like you track your investments
Include your kids in one age-appropriate money conversation that focuses on purpose, not just numbers
Ask your children what problems they notice in their school, community, or world
Remember, we're not trying to make our kids feel guilty about their advantages. We're helping them understand that with great opportunity comes great responsibility—and great potential for impact.
The goal isn't to raise kids who are afraid of wealth. It's to raise future leaders who see wealth as a tool for transformation.
What intentional steps are you taking to ensure your wealth becomes a blessing, not a burden, for your family?
Hit reply and let me know—I read every response and often feature the best insights in future newsletters.
Until next week / Christopher Nelson
P.S. If you're interested in learning more about structuring family philanthropy as part of your wealth management strategy, I'll be diving deeper into tax-efficient giving structures in an upcoming newsletter. The intersection of impact and optimization is one of my favorite topics to explore.
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