Comments on: More On Debt And Parental Responsiblity

By: Jane

Jane — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 05:21:04 +0000

From the time my four children were born my husband and I put money into an account to help with their tuition when the time came. Unfortunately our marriage broke up when the kids were still young but I continued with the savings which required all four to have paper routes and part time jobs to pay for their clothes, etc. but they were promised this money. All four attended university- the youngest still has two years to go but the older three have good careers and good jobs. The money almost paid for their tuition but not books or living expenses so they had loans, summer jobs and part time jobs but they have all developed good attitudes toward work and money.
I recently remarried (I was a single mom until my youngest was 17) and my current husband has two sons- 25 and 27 who have been going to school on and off for the last 5 years. The only time we hear from them is when they need more money for school. The younger just started a four year degree program and none (zero) of the classes he has taken up til now count towards credit at this new degree.
I think my kids knowing how hard it was for me to put money away for them made them value their education and work hard to finish it. My husband’s kids always had money growing up- no real jobs or chores but still the money flowed and their attitude towards both money and hard work have been affected. Going to school now is much easier than working. I am sure that what we are doing with them is wrong but it seems too late in the game to change.

By: Kaye

Kaye — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 17:36:35 +0000

Posted the student loan blog yesterday. Today is on “luck.” Feel free to let me know what you think. =)

By: Kaye

Kaye — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 20:08:04 +0000

It will probably be on Friday because I will have subject matter for tomorrow and it seems weird not to put something special in for Valentine’s Day on Thursday!

By: sally

sally — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 17:21:27 +0000

Thank you. I can’t wait to read your post!

By: Kaye

Kaye — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 15:59:44 +0000

I too misinterpretted it, as can be seen in the comment I left after the last article. In fact, my beliefs about this have prompted me to right a blog about the approach my husband and I are taking (and no, not out of anger at your post or anything!). I will be posting it soon. Thanks for the clarification, as well want to do all we can for our son, but not handicap him in the world of responsibility at the same time!

By: sally

sally — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 04:53:32 +0000

No, I understand. Some of the more important points I was trying to make came off sounding kind of mangled and confused, particularly the whole paragraph about parents and college expenses. It could easily be read as having the opposite meaning of what I intended, and I apologize.

By: Llama Money

Llama Money — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 04:18:51 +0000

Thanks for the clarification. I may have been the only goofball to misinterpret the post Perhaps the reason is that many of my friends growing up expected “free” college from their parents, and most got it. I’ve seen the financial damage that can cause firsthand, because the majority of these folks weren’t rich.