Poverty has well-documented negative effects on kids,and Australia has a high rate of child poverty,with almostone in five living in households experiencing poverty. Perhaps unsurprisingly,however,there aren’t swaths of research on the woes of rich kids. There is someevidencethey’re at greater risk of battling depression,anxiety and substance abuse and are more likely to face pressure to perform and feel isolated from parents.

While it’s important to be aware of individual challenges kids may face because of their home lives,I also wanted to understand ways children can contribute positively to society. There’s growing proof that affluent kids are less ethical,less empathetic,and often morenarcissistic.

Oh,crap. This is a rare example,where I don’t enjoy being right. Lecturing or preaching about “the starving kids in Africa” or “when I was your age,we only ate spam and didn’t know prosciutto existed” doesn’t work. Trust me,we’ve tried.

Next I turned to parenting podcasts and hit the local library in search for help. The good news is that empathy can be learnt. Recent research from the University of Cambridge found “not only that it is possible to teach empathy,but that by doing so we support the development of children’s creativity,and their wider learning”.

Turning to gratitude instead of immobilising guilt is another proven technique. While it’s not always easy,chatting to children about how fortunate you are,whatyou are grateful for and discussing different ways to use your privilege for good is crucial. It gives kids an opportunity to open up about their feelings,thoughts,fears about money,class and other social issues.

Donating your money and time,not to alleviate guilt but as a means to an end in a world where privilege and opportunity is not parceled out equally is another good behaviour to model to children. This is increasingly important because Australians are becomingless charitable. We’re giving back at low levels not seen since the 1970s.

While I wouldn’t swap my daughters’ experience in Singapore with my early exposure to the sheriff’s office,I’m aware that with the financial gains we’ve made,there have been things lost. Exactlywhat is impossible to quantify on a balance sheet.

Antoinette Lattouf is a broadcaster,columnist and author. She is co-host of The Briefing podcast and co-founder of Media Diversity Australia.

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