What is a greater leg up?
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
| Being an extraordinary talented at a sport(s) or academics OR being average at sports and/or academics but having parents who are wealthy (HHI $500k and up)? |
Anonymous
| Depends on the kid. |
Anonymous
| I guess it depends on what you mean by extraordinarily talented. DH and I are both doctors. We have smart kids and an income over $500k, but LaBron James definitely has a leg up over any of our kids. |
Anonymous
|
Having parents who are not just wealthy but usefully connected to what the kid wants to do is the best.
Sports excellence is vulnerable because many players and sports are undercompensated and there are few roles proportionate to interest. Money doesn't fix that dynamic. Even wealthy kids end up dropping out of those activities. Academic excellence does help channel into certain high-paying professions (med school and law). But these days, EQ is a big, big part of it as well. |
Anonymous
| Does the kid have a strong work ethics and executive functioning? Then the former. If not, the latter. |
Anonymous
| Op - sorry bad explanation. By extraordinary talent I think I mean more like talented/gifted and going to college for sports. Not once in a generation talent (LaBron James or Simon Biles). |
Anonymous
|
Op - I am just thinking about this because my kids are all average or slightly above average for academics and definitely average at sports. They work hard but definitely are not going to college for sports and highly doubt they will get crazy scholarships for their academics.
But they have parents who are invested in their success and have a high HHI ($700k and up) and have generational wealth from family as well. |
Anonymous
Mediocre kids from wealthy families? Shocking |
Anonymous
| Well I definitely have more respect for the bootstrap athlete or hard working academic if that’s what you’re asking |
Anonymous
| Greater leg up for what? What is your definition of success? |
Anonymous
| Of course the generational wealthy kid had the leg up. Stupid question |
Anonymous
|
500k isn’t really that much nowadays, esp in HCOL areas.
I am not sure what you mean by leg up. I think the smarter academically athletic kid would do better than the UMC mediocre kid. Private schools are full of mediocre rich kids. |
Anonymous
Sure if you get someone who is smart and athletic plus comes from a UMC family you are winning the jackpot. But a smart academically athletic kid from a poor family will not do better than a mediocre kid whose parents make $500K and up per year who can afford to supplement their life as they age (cars, college, weddings, first houses, etc). Not having debt as an adult has to be the biggest advantage one can have. |
Anonymous
So they will be fine as long as they remain mentally healthy, are goal-oriented, and can find good partners. It's lucky to have both motivation and a safety net. Sports only pays off for a few athletes beyond the megastars. Mostly if they can enter a profitable related business. |
Anonymous
| Mediocre rich kids>smart athletic middle class kids |