Comments on: What Working a Job Costs Your Kids http://www.gnorb.net/685/what-working-a-job-costs-your-kids Fiction has to be plausible. Reality is under no such constraint. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 04:13:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Gnorb http://www.gnorb.net/685/what-working-a-job-costs-your-kids#comment-11605 Gnorb Tue, 28 Nov 2006 20:17:16 +0000 http://www.gnorb.net/business-and-finance/20061120/what-working-a-job-costs-your-kids/#comment-11605 Define, what are "the most important years of ... kid's lives"? Would you say that the most important years in your life were when you were young, or would you agree that this year is just as important as last year? - I will submit that the most important years of a person's life are those between their birth and death. Everything before and after is not all that important. I will also submit that the older your kids are, the more they'll need you. Think about it, would you rather be home for your 2 year old kid or for your 14 year old? The problem here is that there is a polarization of questions. Why choose either? Why not take both? The question here becomes "how". - I don't think you quote get the full point of my post. Most parents get stuck in the same trap that Ray's gotten stuck in, where they work and work and work trying to get to a point where they can spend time with their kids. While that's all well and good, the vehicle for that usually isn't. For the record, I don't believe that there is any such thing as "Quality Time" that is not borne out of "Quantity Time" when it comes to kids. - I was attempting to say that people should find other financial options and vehicles if they find that their current vehicle isn't taking them where they want to be. Financial literacy is of utmost concern, and putting that in play is even more important. Most people get so focused on digging the ditch they don't notice when the ditch has gone off course. Most people get so focused on working they forget the purpose of working: to make enough money to live life comfortably. By the time they've noticed there's a problem it's usually too late: they don't have a real retirement waiting for them, their kids have already grown up without them, and as a result we have get the societal problems we have today. - The economic situation is what it is because of the shrinking middle class. Myopic policies regarding economics have created an environment where the rich are indeed getting richer and the poor are indeed getting poorer. The problem is that without a middle class there is no such thing as democracy, not to mention that because the poor are so focused on working to keep afloat, kids get no true guidance from parents and are instead indoctronated in whatever the family du jour is: political revolution, gangs, drugs, sex culture, etc. - My question to anyone reading this (and you don't have to answer this here, obviously) is whether you honestly feel that what you're doing is what will lead you to your real desired destination? How do you know? Who are your examples? If you can't clearly answer those questions, then you'd better strongly consider changing directions. - As for you, Kari, I would suggest you maybe start a home business. Take some time, do a lot of research, and challenge yourself to make enough money from home that Ray doesn't have to work as hard at his job. (What you're doing in baby sitting now is a great start, by the way. Congratulations on that. How could you expand it to the point where whether you're there or not you can still make money? If you can't, think of other avenues that would net you more income.) I'm sure he'd appreciate the time with the kids just as much as they would appreciate the time with him. And think, when you own the income stream, you can always increase it. Imagine being able to be there for your kids -- both of you -- when your kids are 13 and truly need you more than they do now, when the alternative to having a parent home will not be a minimum wage baby sitter, but some guy looking for a quick bang, or some gang looking for another member. Define, what are “the most important years of … kid’s lives”? Would you say that the most important years in your life were when you were young, or would you agree that this year is just as important as last year?
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I will submit that the most important years of a person’s life are those between their birth and death. Everything before and after is not all that important. I will also submit that the older your kids are, the more they’ll need you. Think about it, would you rather be home for your 2 year old kid or for your 14 year old? The problem here is that there is a polarization of questions. Why choose either? Why not take both? The question here becomes “how”.
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I don’t think you quote get the full point of my post. Most parents get stuck in the same trap that Ray’s gotten stuck in, where they work and work and work trying to get to a point where they can spend time with their kids. While that’s all well and good, the vehicle for that usually isn’t. For the record, I don’t believe that there is any such thing as “Quality Time” that is not borne out of “Quantity Time” when it comes to kids.
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I was attempting to say that people should find other financial options and vehicles if they find that their current vehicle isn’t taking them where they want to be. Financial literacy is of utmost concern, and putting that in play is even more important. Most people get so focused on digging the ditch they don’t notice when the ditch has gone off course. Most people get so focused on working they forget the purpose of working: to make enough money to live life comfortably. By the time they’ve noticed there’s a problem it’s usually too late: they don’t have a real retirement waiting for them, their kids have already grown up without them, and as a result we have get the societal problems we have today.
-
The economic situation is what it is because of the shrinking middle class. Myopic policies regarding economics have created an environment where the rich are indeed getting richer and the poor are indeed getting poorer. The problem is that without a middle class there is no such thing as democracy, not to mention that because the poor are so focused on working to keep afloat, kids get no true guidance from parents and are instead indoctronated in whatever the family du jour is: political revolution, gangs, drugs, sex culture, etc.
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My question to anyone reading this (and you don’t have to answer this here, obviously) is whether you honestly feel that what you’re doing is what will lead you to your real desired destination? How do you know? Who are your examples? If you can’t clearly answer those questions, then you’d better strongly consider changing directions.
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As for you, Kari, I would suggest you maybe start a home business. Take some time, do a lot of research, and challenge yourself to make enough money from home that Ray doesn’t have to work as hard at his job. (What you’re doing in baby sitting now is a great start, by the way. Congratulations on that. How could you expand it to the point where whether you’re there or not you can still make money? If you can’t, think of other avenues that would net you more income.) I’m sure he’d appreciate the time with the kids just as much as they would appreciate the time with him. And think, when you own the income stream, you can always increase it. Imagine being able to be there for your kids — both of you — when your kids are 13 and truly need you more than they do now, when the alternative to having a parent home will not be a minimum wage baby sitter, but some guy looking for a quick bang, or some gang looking for another member.

]]> By: Kari http://www.gnorb.net/685/what-working-a-job-costs-your-kids#comment-11590 Kari Tue, 28 Nov 2006 17:28:28 +0000 http://www.gnorb.net/business-and-finance/20061120/what-working-a-job-costs-your-kids/#comment-11590 I totally agree. Most parents miss a huge part of the most important years of their kids lifes. That is why I chose to stay home with my children right now while they are young. I love waking up every day and spending the day watching my children and shaping their future. Nothing gives you a better feeling then teaching your child something new.. or hearing those first words. (Kai said his two days ago.. "dada") I wish Ray could have more quality time with the children. but in today's society that is almost impossible. We need his income to surrive. Yet, it will get a lot better when he gets a job where he can at least spend eveings with the family. I pitty those children who see their care-givers more then their parents. I recently started doing in home daycare and one of our children is with us from 6:30 am till 7:00 pm! that is more then 12 hours.. and most likey gets to spend at most a hour with her parents every night before bed? that is wrong. I totally agree. Most parents miss a huge part of the most important years of their kids lifes. That is why I chose to stay home with my children right now while they are young. I love waking up every day and spending the day watching my children and shaping their future. Nothing gives you a better feeling then teaching your child something new.. or hearing those first words. (Kai said his two days ago.. “dada”)

I wish Ray could have more quality time with the children. but in today’s society that is almost impossible. We need his income to surrive. Yet, it will get a lot better when he gets a job where he can at least spend eveings with the family.

I pitty those children who see their care-givers more then their parents. I recently started doing in home daycare and one of our children is with us from 6:30 am till 7:00 pm! that is more then 12 hours.. and most likey gets to spend at most a hour with her parents every night before bed? that is wrong.

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