Every parent wants their child to succeed, to be comfortable, and some of how people define success and comfort is with financial security. Although there is nothing wrong with wanting your child to have enough, there are good reasons why you might want to think twice about rigorously pushing him toward a high-paying job.

Money doesn’t equate to happiness.

Do we really need to explain this one? Study after study has demonstrated that high income does not make a person any happier. In fact, it can make a person more stressed and anxious, because he has so much responsibility taking care of his assets, and because he can worry about whether his friends care about him or his funds. Research shows that, in the United States, a person’s happiness stops going up when income reaches about $75,000 USD per year.

High pay needs high skills. 

We all think our babies are the next Einstein or Mozart to some degree, but the reality is, not everyone has the skill sets or abilities necessary to complete tasks in a high-paying position. You want to set the bar fairly high and be encouraging, yes, of course, but there’s no reason to set the bar to the moon if your child can only jump to the rooftop. It’s far better to help him find the best-paying job within his capacities so that he can feel confident in what he does and establish a solid relationship with his employer. Over time, this confidence and good rapport can let him work up the business ladder, and pay increases can follow.

Money and passion don’t necessarily link.

Just as some people don’t have the skills or abilities necessary to do well in jobs that offer top pay, some individuals don’t have a passion for the positions that offer excellent compensation. The classic example is the “starving artist,” who struggles financially but who puts an enormously high value on the ability to be expressive. If you force your child into a job he hates, it’s very likely he’ll just mentally and emotionally burn out later. If this happens, then he’ll be no better off than when he started, so ultimately, your child should be working for himself, not for you. (Yes, we said it. Read it one more time.) Often, people who have a true passion for something end up standing out and becoming better known in their industry, with many becoming entrepreneurs off their own creative ideas.

High-paying jobs are stressful.

Typically, people who earn great money don’t get it by sitting around sipping coffee. They work physically or mentally hard, and they catch a lot of flack when anything goes wrong. Add coworker or office drama into the mix and you have a perfect recipe for an incredible amount of stress. That can have detrimental effects on health, such as increasing blood pressure or causing tension headaches. Sometimes, the extra digits in each paycheck just aren’t worth having to deal with these problems.

Lots of money creates lots of expectation.

Many people who are used to having plenty of money to spare expect a lot, meaning they get used to a high standard of living and might not necessarily worry too much about saving. They sometimes even come to feel entitled to what they have or want. By contrast, when money is a little tighter, people usually think a little more critically about how they spend. They look seriously about their investments and budget, and they are concerned about how their financial activity could affect others.

The Bottom Line. 

Your child of course will need some income. That’s a given. Even so, having plentiful amounts of money aren’t going to secure happiness for your child, and sometimes, the positions that pay well simply aren’t going to be the best fit. Your best bet might be to help your child find the highest-paying job that matches his personality, skills and interests, and to take advantage of the finance education opportunities that more moderate income allows.