Raising lifelong investors.

I just had an expensive week.

My wife, mother, and youngest son all have birthdays within a few days of each other. I’m not complaining—just aware of how quickly it all adds up. I’m grateful to have them in my life, and to be able to celebrate them properly.

My youngest is two. At that age, birthdays are mostly about cake, balloons, and tearing open presents faster than anyone can keep up. Like most two-year-olds, he received a small mountain of toys and cards—some of them with money instead of presents.

The rule we made from day one

When our first child was born, we made a simple rule.

Any birthday money, Christmas money, or cash gifts wouldn’t be spent on more toys. Trust me—they already have enough. Instead, every penny goes into their Junior ISA.

The idea is simple. I didn’t start investing until my 30s. My sons, unknowingly, have been investors since the day they were born.

A toy might bring a few days of excitement. But the goal is to turn small gifts into something that has years to grow alongside them.

Why small amounts matter

I’ve shared this before and had mixed reactions. Some people think it’s a little boring. Others say £50 here and there won't make any difference.

I see it differently.

My two-year-old already has just over £2,700 invested, and it's up around 20%. If we only added another £250 a year and the investments continued to compound over the next 16 years, he could have close to £20,000 by the time he turns 18.

That's not life-changing wealth. But it's a meaningful head start, created almost entirely from small, consistent contributions and time.

It's a reminder that investing isn't always about large sums of money. Often, it's about getting started early.

Keeping it simple

The Junior ISA itself is incredibly straightforward.

I use Hargreaves Lansdown and invest in a low-cost S&P 500 ETF. Nothing complicated. Once the account is set up, it only takes a few minutes to add new contributions whenever birthday or Christmas money comes in.

Simple beats complicated nearly every time.

The real investment isn't the money

The money is only half the story.

As my sons get older, I'll start showing them their accounts and explaining what's happening. I want them to see how investing works, why patience matters, and what compound growth looks like over time.

Of course, they may want to spend the money immediately when they turn 18. They might even spend every penny.

If that happens, so be it.

Even that experience will teach them something about money. My job isn't to control every financial decision they make—it's to give them a better starting point than I had.

Teaching what school doesn't

Most schools do a fantastic job in many areas.

But very few teach children how investing works, why compounding matters, or how to make money work for them over decades.

As parents, I think we have an opportunity to fill that gap.

Not by trying to raise financial experts, but by helping our children build healthy money habits from an early age.

A gift he'll appreciate one day

My son won't remember turning two.

He'll remember the photos, if anything.

But one day, I hope he'll realise that some of his earliest birthday gifts weren't spent the week after he received them. They were invested by people who cared about his future.

To me, that's a far more valuable gift.

Question for you:

Is there anything you're doing today that your future children might thank you for—whether it's an investment, a habit, or simply a lesson you've chosen to pass on?

I'd love to hear your ideas.