We’ve had some threads about choosing colleges and future occupations for children. We’ve also had some threads (or posts) about lack of direction school-age kids have. Many of the posts were gloomy and doomy and filled with apprehension regarding the future of the upcoming generation.
I’d like to counter that a bit with some neighborhood kids.
Over the last few years, my significant other and I found we no longer have the desire/motivation/energy/ to water the lawn as often as needed. So, we’ve hired local teen-agers walking by the house watering jobs. Each kid said, “Yes.” And, they all worked out well. The only reason for the turn-over has been that they got older and went off to college. Two went out-of-state, two went to college in Europe (one of whom is now studying toward becoming an MD). One went to UCLA and recently graduated from law school (OK, so that didn’t work out so well).
Each of these kids came from well-to-do families. Two went to expensive private high schools. Two went to charter schools. One a public school. None of them needed the watering-the-lawn money. All were responsible and did good jobs. All were self-directed regarding what college they went to and all were self-directed in choosing their majors although, of course, there were family discussions about options and choices.
I’d like to counter that a bit with some neighborhood kids.
Over the last few years, my significant other and I found we no longer have the desire/motivation/energy/ to water the lawn as often as needed. So, we’ve hired local teen-agers walking by the house watering jobs. Each kid said, “Yes.” And, they all worked out well. The only reason for the turn-over has been that they got older and went off to college. Two went out-of-state, two went to college in Europe (one of whom is now studying toward becoming an MD). One went to UCLA and recently graduated from law school (OK, so that didn’t work out so well).
Each of these kids came from well-to-do families. Two went to expensive private high schools. Two went to charter schools. One a public school. None of them needed the watering-the-lawn money. All were responsible and did good jobs. All were self-directed regarding what college they went to and all were self-directed in choosing their majors although, of course, there were family discussions about options and choices.
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