Pink Slips for the KidsIt’ll be a tough decision. Each of our four children has great qualities and makes incredible contributions to the family. But something’s got to give. Teenagers are more expensive than younger kids and the chances of them leaving and living on their own are greater compared to the younger ones. Then again, keeping the younger kids around could cost us more in the long run depending on how the future economy spirals. It’ll be difficult figuring out which one of the kids gets the pink slip, but my wife and I promise to provide him/her with glowing references. “He/she has a good, positive attitude, and works well with others….” While there are times when that option seems worth considering, maybe a family layoff is a far-fetched (and no doubt illegal) economic solution to consider. Plus, it would be hard to explain things at family gatherings, or at church. “Hey, don’t you have four children?” “Oh, we had to let one of them go. But when the economy improves we feel we’ll be in a fiscally stronger position to go back to having four children.” Actually, rather then considering furloughs within the family, the answer probably lies more with spending less. Isn’t it always the case that the right answers are the hardest ones to consider? It’s time to spend less, eat mac and cheese more, wear shoes longer, wash dress shirts instead of dry clean and drive the car less than ever before. That last suggestion is going to be the most difficult to follow. Most people still have to drive to work. Public transportation doesn’t always work out. Bicycles are fuel savers, but impractical when dropping kids off at school while on the way to the office. That makes it tough on the back. During economic downturns, one of the toughest parts involves explaining the situation to the kids. “Dad, can we have McDonald’s for lunch?” “No, son. We need the money to buy gas for the minivan.” “Dad, can I get the new Jordans?” “No, son. We need the money to buy gas for the minivan.” “Dad, are we on our way to buy gas for the minivan?” “No, we have to save money to buy gas for the Saturn.” Then, as we drive past a string of service stations, my youngest son asks: “Dad, why are gas prices going up so high?” His question triggers a furious tirade in which I curse the price gouging, record profit-making oil companies that are taking advantage of world events to suck dry the savings of all hard working people. This usually sends the children screaming to their mother for protection from their wild-eyed, frothing-at-the-mouth father. It’s hard to explain economic realities to kids. You could consider the thoughtful approach taken by John Berger, a novelist and playwright who grew up in England in the 1930s. When once commenting on economics, he nailed it when he wrote: “The poverty of our century is unlike that of any other. It is not, as poverty was before, the result of natural scarcity, but of a set of priorities imposed upon the rest of the world by the rich.” Of course, it might just be easier to explain that when times get tough, the people who “have” often take advantage of the people who “don’t have” in order to “get more.” We all know that we’ll get by. And if my kids are learning anything from this era of rising prices, they are learning how to distract me. If I ever get upset when one of them comes home with a bad grade, or gets in trouble at school, or wants to divert my attention, they can just say: “Dad, why are gas prices going up so high?” That’ll send me into such a tirade that I’ll forget about what got me angry in the first place. I’ll probably even forget about preparing a pink slip for one of the kids. =================================================================== Tim Herrera is the author of “From Wedgies to Feeding Frenzies: A Semi-Survival Guide for Parents of Teens.” For more information about Tim and his new book please log on to www.timherrera.com. Sign up to Mommy's Helper - Mom's Market Ezine for marketing tips, business resources, and much more. Receive Your F R E E Subscription Now! |