It's easy to say do this...do that. However, everyone's circumstances are different. I have a friend whose kids' college fund was wiped out by emergency, and unanticipated, medical bills. I know some people who've had to pay for care for aging parents. I've known people whose businesses have gone belly up and have had to declare bankruptcy. If you're one of the lucky ones who's had everything break right for you, that's great. But don't sit on your high horse and assume that because everything's worked out for you then it's just as easy for everyone else to do.
This may sound bad but I put myself thru college and I figure my kids can too. It makes you study harder and appreciate an education IMO. My oldest got a scholarship that got him thru the 1st semester. He decided to join the military and has done well and continued his eduation. My middle son did the same. He's out now and going to start college in August. The youngest majored in party . We refused to pay the 2nd semester. He got tired of minimum wage really fast and is now back in college. He will have loans to pay back but hey we all have bills. Hopefully his future employer will buy out his contract. When was it decided that parents are supposed to save and foot an expensive education? I missed that memo.
I know many people who have had these things happen to them, and who really hit the bottom, sometimes more than once and late in life more often than not. The difference is that most of these people did not whine about or think for a minute that they were victims of poor luck or The Man. Instead, they dusted themselves off and started over, applying lessons learned from prior bad experiences, and doing their best to work smarter and harder.
No one ever promised that life would be easy, or that serious challenges and very difficult choices would not occur. It makes ill when people just breakdown and abdicate life at the first sign of true hardship -- it betrays a weakness of basic character. I would go as far as to say that if you have not had at least one or two of these "rock bottom" experiences in your life, you have not really lived.
It's easy to say do this...do that. However, everyone's circumstances are different. I have a friend whose kids' college fund was wiped out by emergency, and unanticipated, medical bills. I know some people who've had to pay for care for aging parents. I've known people whose businesses have gone belly up and have had to declare bankruptcy
gee, I was just thinking that the kid whose going to school could get a job or two. Lots of people do that. You're right about unexpected stuff happening, but then if they're wiped out by medical bills and bankruptcy wouldn't they qualify on financial hardship? .... I'm not sitting on any high horse and judging, just stating the case that parents aren't obliged to pay for college. It's a gift, a sacrifice and optional.... the "child" that's 18,19,20,21 is going to have to deal with "life's not fair".... it isn't, but nobody said it was.
the more I think about it, the more I wish I hadn't had to have 3 jobs in the summer so I could drink beer and tan myself with my buddies.
Yep, I've made up my mind... if you're 59 and need a job, life is definitely not fair.