Growing up, many of us learned money lessons from our fathers. Often we take those lessons to heart. Dads can influence our attitudes and beliefs about money.

Whether they model frugality, manage debt responsibly, invest with discipline or do the opposite, their behavior affects us through adulthood. And even if Dad wasn't always a great role model, a father's money mistakes or negative attitudes can ultimately prove instructive.

Financial advisers are good examples of these lessons in practice. You might assume that these experts grew up with fathers who taught them all about money. But this isn't necessarily the case.

Ian Freeman, a financial adviser in Boca Raton, Fla., said his father never discussed money with him. They didn't have much, so there wasn't much to talk about. "I'm guessing it was an embarrassment [to him]," Freeman said. "It was taboo. I knew basically nothing about money."

But for many advisers it's Dad who gets the credit for teaching them to save, spend and invest wisely.

"My father profoundly shaped my understanding of the role of money in life," said Ashley Folkes, a certified financial planner in Hoover, Ala. "The prevailing message was always, 'We [don't] have any money,' a phrase that served as both an explanation and a deterrent whenever I inquired about it. My father often preemptively highlighted what we lacked, perhaps to curb my desires before I could even voice them."

Because the young Folkes associated money with scarcity and negativity, he vowed, at that early age, to gain financial stability. It proved a big motivator as he built his career. "I was fortunate," he added, "to experience love, which I now understand is what truly matters."

Just as youngsters may not recognize the depth of a father's devotion until years later - perhaps when their own children arrive - they may not fully appreciate money lessons from Dad until later in life.

Growing up, Mike Casey recalls frequent dinner-table conversations about financial topics. His father, an economist at the U.S. Federal Reserve and then the U.S. Treasury, sparked those chats.

"He was a lifelong investor, and those early conversations helped shape my views on money and investing," said Casey, a certified financial planner in Alexandria, Va. "I didn't realize the impact this had on me until a few years ago, when I looked back and realized how those conversations gave me a deeper understanding of the economy, investing and making better decisions about money."

For some fathers, investing is a private passion. Others choose to share it with their kids. Willingness to involve your children in stock picking and other financial matters can create a teachable moment that lasts a lifetime.

While in middle school, Ashton Lawrence remembers how his father - a financial adviser-scrutinized stocks. It became a shared activity.

"Before I was allowed to buy a stock, I had to explain to him what the company did, why I wanted to invest in it and why I believed it would increase in value," said Lawrence, a certified financial planner in Greenville, S.C. "I had to provide a sound rationale before buying. He taught me to apply critical thinking and logic over emotion."

Today, Lawrence said, he echoes his father when advising clients who want to buy a hot stock. If they say, "A friend told me to buy this ... ," Lawrence responds, he told MarketWatch, by asking them to assess their reasoning along with the company's fundamentals.

"We have the same conversation that I had with my father," he said. "The same applies if they want to sell: They have to clearly articulate why they believe it's the right time to exit" and not a symptom of panic.

Lawrence embraces his father's "live within your means" philosophy, he said. He quotes his dad when urging clients to control their expenses: "Don't live a Champagne lifestyle on a beer budget."

Aside from emphasizing the value of spending less than you earn, a father's simple request can leave a lasting impression.

"One of my earliest memories is asking for a raise in my allowance at 6 years old, and him telling me I had to make my case," said Desiree Fisher, a New York City-based certified financial planner. "I succeeded! My father was my first and most influential money mentor."

Some fathers create fun activities to introduce their youngsters to money-management principles. These rituals can stick with the kids for the rest of the lives.

When she was around 7 years old, Judy Brown remembers sitting on the floor putting canceled bank checks in numerical order so that her dad could balance the checkbook, she said.

"It was our monthly routine," said Brown, a Baltimore-based certified financial planner. "I learned the importance of being consistent every month, understanding cash flow and the patience to find that last penny."

By the time Brown entered graduate school in 1991, she worked two jobs but still needed an additional $5,000 to cover her tuition. Instead of giving her the money, her father set up a loan.

"He drew up a note/repayment agreement, and we both signed it," she said. "He believed in the value of money and the responsibility that comes with it. I could count on Dad to help me - but he wanted me to earn it."

Two years later, Brown graduated with an MBA. Within a few months, she had earned enough from her job to repay her father in full. Said Brown: "The satisfaction I felt watching him tear up that agreement was special for both of us."

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