Confused and scared

[haha]

Cube, you got game. Congratulations.

Ha

 

[maddythebeagle]

Next on the Horatio Alger Hour......, I grew up in a single familiy household and my mom didnt have a college education. We still lived below our means and she never made anywhere near 40k and looking back I think it is good for kids to have some adversity. I was a pretty good student and was able to have a good education and have a nice engineering job, also.

If you have an excellent public university in the area, have the scrapper live at home, get scholarships, and help her out as you can and have her work summers. Works for a lot of folks!

 

[REWahoo]

Further reinforcement: College vs. Retirement? Retirement Wins

http://www.fool.com/News/mft/2005/mft05072234.htm

REW

 

[TromboneAl]

That link's not working too well.

 

[REWahoo]

That link's not working too well.

Thanks Al. Try it now.

REW

 

[confused]

So much information to take in. However, I can not stop feeling a little less confused and scared. I love the fact that people take time out to share their story. It is a great motivator. I think I can start not being so scared and just take a day at a time along with action. I do not see myself going to school, mostly because I am so slow at it and I @ 35 have to start with classes below high school level. That is hard for me to think about, but believe me I think about it. The car, I do feel I only got it because I needed something reliable and yes I am much buried. It is 16,800 I owe and $7000 is the worth and the other $2000 is medical dept. My credit is actually bad so I am cleaning it up. But I do not push that education is the big thing in my house which I know I should even more so now.

 

[Brat]

Congratulations on your efforts to keep you and your child's life safe and stable.  You are a lot smarter than you give yourself credit, you are thoughtfull and prudent.  I have known book-smart folks who earned high grades in school who failed day-to-day living, and more who struggled through and did well.

Although you may not have done well in school there is no reason why your child can't do well.  Take time at the end of the day to read with him/her, do some math exercises together.  Not only is this good "Mommy and Me" time, your child will see that you are interested in education, and maybe you will refresh your own skills.

Live each day fully, save for your retirement, and you will be OK.

 

[Patrick]

Yakkers really hit the nail on the head regarding the question of your retirement vs your child's education.  I'd just add (since I know that as a mother you're going to feel GUILY no matter what you do!  ;-)   that I'm another example of his point.

I never got a dime from my parents for college - they just didn't have it.  But my grandfather and my mother were VERY clear about the value of an education, they encourage me to do my best, and reinforced the belief that I had the brains to do whatever I wanted.

People tend to really value those things that they've earned for themselves, as opposed to those that are just given to them.