Last night we had a discussion with our daughter Kasey who is just about to turn 16. The discussion started out as, growing up and your responsibilities as a grown up. It then led us to spending habits, the way the economy is becoming, politics taxes, and bills.
I am not sure this discussion was making much sense to her as she was coming back with questions like “Why” well I am not sure how you explain something to a young adult as to why when nothing makes sense to us grown ups that have been doing it as long as we have.
I don’t know how to explain to a young adult that the cost of living continues to rise but your assets are worth nothing. You are asked to pack up, save and recycle, but the price of that recycled container is costing you more money. You will watch your government bail out companies that pay their selves 6 figure incomes, while you will still struggling to make your everyday “necessity to live” bills meet ends.
Craig keeps up on what is going on “today” through TV or articles, so he did most of the explaining. I sat back listening to this conversation understanding how someone could be so confused! Then you are expected to throw them out there in the middle of this mess and hope and pray they make it!
When you think the conversation concluded in telling Kasey “You go out there and get a good education, work hard, be a good person to people, make good choices and you should be fine” The thought of that conversation turns into a contradiction. You teach child to be a good person but your have to teach them to not let people walk on them and they have to figure out that happy medium. Or you teach them to give but tell them they will find everyone who will want something if you give too much. You teach them to invest in things that may be necessary to have to help them be successful but have to explain you can dig yourself a hole with unnecessary investments. This conversation really turned everyone to full confusion on life.
I am not sure explaining something that doesn’t make sense to anyone, was the right explanation for Kasey. I feel for any young adult who is about to take a step out into this world! I hope and pray my girls have enough independence to have a strong mind to make the right decisions, if there is such a thing as “The right decision” Being a parent is such a tough job, but preparing them to step out there is scary!
