10 Things People Raised By Wealthy Parents Do That Everyone Else Thinks Is Weird
To kids who had rich parents, these things are totally normal, but to the average person, they are completely strange.
LightField Studios / Shutterstock The idea of privilege might bring up thoughts of someone wearing an expensive Rolex watch on their wrist or being chauffeured around in a Bentley. But not all privilege is overt and in your face. Sometimes, signs of wealth are invisible to other rich people, but to everyone else, very odd. It's a different culture that shapes how the privileged more through and respond to the world.
None of these behaviors is necessarily bad. They are just oddly fascinating, and to those of us who were not born with silver spoons in our mouths, they seem out of touch. These actions reflect a different reality than the average person, but it is normal and familiar to the offspring of the wealthy.
Here are 10 things people raised by wealthy parents do that everyone else thinks is weird
1. They treat "summering" as a verb
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Remember our childhood, when we couldn't wait until school was out so we could enjoy the lazy days of summer? We might go on a family vacation, or we might just spend time hanging out with friends and soaking up the sun. But for children raised by wealthy parents, their world is more structured. They have concrete plans, and their address might change along with the seasons.
If you were raised rich, you relocate for entire seasons, so instead of summer being a noun and something you could use for a variety of activities, it is a verb that has certain rich folk behaviors like heading to the Hamptons, or laying low in Nantucket attached to it. Leisure is a necessity and is well-planned ahead of time. It's not just a vacation, but a ritual involving the upper crust of society and their traditions.
2. They are unmoved by expensive things
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For the average person, just being in close proximity to priceless items can be anxiety-inducing. We know that we can never afford to pay for them if we break them, so we prefer to admire them from fact. We treat expensive things like a bomb, careful not to detonate it. The price tag is enough to make us run the other way to avoid any risk.
But for those who are accustomed to opulence, moving a $10,000 vase out of the way so you can pour a drink is a mindless activity with no fear or reverence attached. That chilly calmness comes from living a lifestyle where valuable objects were nothing more than part of the decor. They grew up around the finest of china, antique furniture, and art so expensive it needed an insurance policy.
3. The splurge on expensive things but haggle over small fees
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A person who grew up with wealthy parents might buy a bottle of water that costs so much, you would think they got it directly from the Fountain of Youth. A $250 bottle of wine won't even make them blink because, in their world, these are necessary expenses that suit their way of living. Handmade leather bags and daily fresh-cut flowers are essential to them.
But don't let there be a $2.00 ATM fee associated with a withdrawal. That is a bridge too far. And it's not about it being cheap. It's about the injustice of it all. They were raised to scrutinize unnecessary expenses while spending lavishly. Principle tells them that they should never be charged to spend their own money or let a bank benefit from storing it on their behalf.
4. They name-drop institutions, not people
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While an average person may name-drop a famous or successful person in order to feel good about themselves, a person born to rich parents believes that they are the person whose name should be dropped, so they set their sights higher. They've been networking their entire lives, so being around other people of stature is run-of-the-mill.
But that doesn't stop them from one-upping each other with the connections and accomplishments. Whether it's a boarding school, a private equity firm, or an exclusive social club, they toss around names of institutions as if everyone should be familiar. Rich offspring see these associations as social currency, while the rest of us recognize it as bragging and pretentiousness.
5. They are very comfortable with being served
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If you're anything like me, being waited on hand and foot can make you feel unconscious, so you tend to be extra nice to people who serve you. You may have come from parents or grandparents who were in the service industry or have been part of it yourself, so you make sure that you are giving grace and treating the people who supply your needs with the utmost respect and dignity.
People raised by wealthy parents tend to be more at ease when interacting with staff like servers, housekeepers, drivers, etc. They aren't necessarily rude, though some are, but they grew up in a home where getting served was part of daily life. They don't intend to be pompous, but see these people as resources, and have never known anything different.
6. They downplay expensive style
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If you've ever been around a person who was brought up by rich parents, you know they can make the most expensive items look casual and effortless. You're protecting your $50 purse from damage with your life, while they are tossing a $2000 Louis Vuitton bag around like it's disposable. They put on a casual-looking t-shirt that ends up being $500.
The children of the rich were taught to look nonchalant early on, every while wearing thousands of dollars worth of name brand attire. "Just throwing something on" involves Italian leather, a cashmere sweater, and a watch that costs more than the average person's car.
7. They've never experienced sticker shock
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While the average person might bargain shop and be keenly aware of how much basic services will cost them, their rich counterparts have no idea because they have never had to. Bank overdraft fees, late utility bills, or unpaid surcharges are a foreign concept to them because they are minor matters when you have major money. They have no idea what living paycheck-to-paycheck means.
The financial anxiety most of us feel from time to time is because we are budgeting our money down to the penny. We might run out before the month is over or have to be creative when making ends meet. Rich kids always had a financial safety net and a security around money that reshaped how they relate to and resonate with risk, opportunity, and so-called crises.
8. They have a lawyer on speed dial
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For people who were born into wealth, having a lawyer dedicated to their family is as normal as having a primary care physician. They don't bother with matters such as legal trusts, estate plans, and family law situations, as they have lawyers at the ready to handle business affairs on their behalf.
You would never find them reaching out to a public defender or a small claims attorney. People raised in rich families don't just have attorneys on deck for emergencies. They have estate, tax, and trust lawyers with whom they are on a first-name basis. They've never had to Google search for legal assistance because they've had the same firm handling their family's affairs since Jimmy Carter was in office.
9. They're strangely talented at skiing, sailing, and horseback riding
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Where I am from, our most athletic youth played football, basketball, and other sports that you might find at the local community center. But for those born into privilege, polo, skiing, parasailing, and horseback riding are childhood activities that everyone in their neighborhood did. It wasn't just about athleticism, but exclusivity.
While the rest of us were playing soccer or attending dance classes, they were fencing and taking equestrian lessons. The things that seem elite and impractical were par for the course when you were raised in a family that had money to blow. So, although these pampered youth might be considered no competition for average kids, they are weirdly competent in sports like tennis because they are part of their upper-class traditions.
10. They dismiss the importance of money
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When you have an endless supply, money might not seem like the biggest deal. But to people who are fighting hand over fist to become financially secure, it matters. Rich children genuinely believe that money is a non-issue because they have never gone without it. They are the people who say things like "Money isn't everything" or "Money can't buy happiness." Sure, it can't, but it can definitely buy security.
While the sentiment is not wrong because character is much more important than your bank account, it hits differently coming from someone who has never had to make a decision of whether to pay rent or buy food. When you knew that you would always be okay financially growing up, you had the freedom to view money as a tool, not a lifeline.
NyRee Ausler is a writer from Seattle, Washington, and the author of seven books. She focuses on lifestyle and human interest stories that deliver informative and actionable guidance on interpersonal relationships, enlightenment, and self-discovery.
