We are both in our early 40s this year, yet I am juggling three jobs at the same time. I work a full-time position during office hours to maintain a stable income, then take on two additional freelance roles related to my expertise in the evenings and on weekends.
During some months, I clock more than 70 working hours a week. My wife is no less busy holding down two jobs simultaneously. There are days when we barely manage more than a few brief sentences between us.
Many people ask why we push ourselves so hard. The answer is simple: we want to save enough to buy two homes as inheritance for our two sons when they reach adulthood.
I have experienced what it is like to start a family with very little. I married young, shortly after graduation, when my income was low and expenses quickly piled up. There were months when my wife and I had to account for every single cent. At times, while waiting for payday, I skipped lunch entirely just to save for essential expenses. Those early years taught me many lessons, but they also left a lingering fear that I do not want my children to experience.
While I agree that some hardship is necessary for children to mature, I question whether struggling to survive in the early years of adulthood makes them stronger or simply wears them down and limits their opportunities.
That is why I do not subscribe to the idea of “letting children start with nothing.” I respect those who believe in that approach but I understand the cost of starting out without any support. For me, giving children an early inheritance is not spoiling them but easing the burden so they have more options.
We began our plan when our first son was born. At the time, our combined monthly income was about VND30 million (US$1,140). We set a rule to save at least 50% of our earnings, and sometimes up to 60% when extra work came in. Every expense was carefully tracked and essential needs were prioritized while emotional or impulsive spending was kept to a minimum.
After nearly 10 years of relentless work, we bought our first home. It was not a large house or in the downtown area, but it was a property under both our names. We no longer have to rent or face debt pressure. At present, we continue to maintain our work pace and savings, with the goal of buying a second home within the next five years as planned.
I always make it clear to my children that they should not depend on what we give them. I still teach them the value of work, responsibility and discipline. But I also believe that at a time when housing prices, living costs and competition keep rising, having a head start is a major advantage.
Early inheritance, in my view, is not about providing comfort but about giving them a foothold that lets them choose to pursue further education, explore careers that suit them and take calculated risks instead of focusing solely on survival. For me, the years of hard work are worth it if they give my children that chance.
The debate may continue. But I choose to stand with parents who build a foundation for their children, rather than leaving them to fend for themselves in an increasingly harsh world.
*This opinion was submitted by a reader. Readers’ views are personal and do not necessarily match VnExpress’ viewpoints.