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Iowa | Lucas:
I never felt I "owed" my kids an education, but I felt that if I had the means, I was NOT going to saddle them with the debt I had when I got out. My parents were in the early stages of losing everything (farm crisis) when I was in school, so it was up to me, and I know first-hand how ten years of student loan payments holds you back; my wife and I couldn't buy a home while that student loan payment was around my neck...We lived in rented houses for the first 13 years of our marriage.
Everyone is different, but I could not have lived with myself had I been in a nice home, driving nice cars, taking nice vacations, etc, etc, and had abandoned my kids when it came to their education due to my selfishness. I have lived my life as a responsible person, and I sleep with an unburdened conscience at night because of it. I was also lucky that my kids went to a state school within easy driving distance of home; they were here with their manure boots on every Saturday at 6 AM (winter weather permitting) during their school days-they knew it was required as part of my paying for their education and it was never a problem. I paid them for their labor, and that also gave them spending money--an added benefit for them and me.
Yes, I feel that parents have 18 years to plan for college expenses, and most should be able to make a few sacrifices to cover it. There are ways to build in some student responsibility, as I did with my children, to keep them from laying in bed and just wandering to the post office half drunk to get their check. I know some parents can't help and it's not their fault--my parents were in the early stages of losing everything when I was in school and I do not blame them for coming up short for my education.
I just had a son graduate in December with no debt and he is now a research agronomist for Monsanto. He has thanked his mother and me many times since then for his ability to graduate without student loans; one of his colleagues has a $900 a month student loan payment! I am glad my son has a clean slate to begin his career as I can't imagine the burden of a $900/ month education payment.
Everyone has different goals in life, and my wife and I have never had goals of fancy material possessions at the expense or neglect of our children. We feel our investment in them is the best investment we could have possibly made. | |
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College financial aid questions.
