I'm sorry to say but some people are raised up to believe money is the only important thing, and if you're not brining in money then you're not worth anything. It's a horrible attitude but unfortunately a very common one.

I hope his son can learn that it is not the end all of what a person is or how to value a life. But, if he is being raised up by someone who thinks that way, it will be very difficult to go against it if you don't see him very much. Then it will be up to fate to have something happen which "teaches the lesson..." which is the harder way