Reply to Deeply regret being so short sighted

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I worked with a senior partner at my consulting firm whose daughter was in high school. She drove a Mercedes SUV, lived in a giant house in McLean and they had a gorgeous 2nd home  in a beach. She wanted to be a school teacher. I really hope her parents prepared her to marry well or plan to support her forever.

I live in the part of Arlington where everyone drives a Subaru and lives in a house built in the 1940s and we all politely pretend we’re all middle class. Except we’re not all middle class. When I was a kid in a small town in the Midwest, it was clear to me that some kids had bigger houses and nicer things and that my parents jobs didn’t allow for that lifestyle. I understood I needed to make money to have the life I wanted. My kids could easily look around our neighborhood and deduce that being a firefighter, journalist or preschool teacher affords the same lifestyle as a lawyer, lobbyist, or dual GS-15 household. I want to make sure my kids understand what different careers potentially make and how that adds up. If they want to choose a less lucrative career, they may not be able to live in the DMV area. [/quote]
I grew up lower income to immigrant parents, now live in a nice big house,  go on international vacations to Europe,etc.. My kids live a really privileged life, but I tell them how expensive it is to live like we do, so if they want to live like they do now in the future, they'd better get a highish paying job.

We are pretty honest with them about how much things cost -- mortgage, car, insurance, college.  One time we were in Europe over a summer, and we had ice cream everyday.  I told them that this was not a cheap thing and had DC calculate how much we spent on just ice cream in the two weeks we were there.  It was eye opening for DC.

I'm very grateful that I can provide such a privilege life for my kids, but I want them to know that they are privileged and how much effort goes into providing that privilege.

They can't say we never told them.[/quote]

it won't matter what you tell them or the cost of the ice cream cone.  They know they have it much easier and their performance will adjust accordingly.  Trust me....[/quote]
PP here.. I don't disagree, sadly.  That's why I stated thaty they can't say we never told them.

It's one of those things where they have to experience it for themselves to truly get it.[/quote]

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