Dear Darling Daughter:
Oct. 12th, 2014 10:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
anigoWe are so proud of who you are. So crazy proud. You have no idea. You're almost 18 years old and you have never caused us one sleepless night. Not one moment of heartache. Nothing. Believe me, we see kids your age. We know how lucky we are.
You are about to launch out into the world. About to start university! This is so exciting (and scary) it makes my head want to explode. It was only 3 weeks ago I dropped you off for your first day of school, and here you are with an exemplary high school record, about to head off to greater learning pastures.
Did you know, however...
Did you know that the university you're looking at costs almost $20,000 a year? And that's before you buy clothes to wear to class. Or pay for the movie and dinner with your friends.
Did you know that, for four years of university at $20,000 a year, you will have spent pretty much the equivalent of what we initially spent on the house that covers your head when you sleep at night? The mortgage that your father and I will have paid off in another 3 years. After almost 25 years of payments.
Did you also know that, for better or for worse, the combined income of your father and I make you ineligible for a low interest student loan? We're lucky that we have such fantastic jobs, but we don't have $80,000 stuffed in a sock somewhere to pay for your education, and unfortunately at 18 you're not going to be able to get a regular loan. You don't have any collateral. You don't have any credit rating. That means that your dad and I will have to get a loan to cover your education.
I don't begrudge it. Not one bit. You're only young once. You work hard and get good marks. You haven't caused us a wink of trouble. I know where you are and what you're doing. And I know we're proud of you.
But I have to tell you.
I'm sitting here, folding your laundry, thinking that in 3 years our mortgage will be paid. And I have 6 weeks vacation. And I would really like to go to Italy. And I would really like to not have to ask you to put your dishes in the sink or to have to go looking for my makeup because you haven't put it back.
And I think of all of the kids out there who are causing their parents heartache - who curse at their parents, whose parents don't know where they are at night - and I feel guilty when I get resentful because you borrowed my iPhone charger and didn't bring it back.
So help me out here. Bring back my iPhone charger. Make supper tomorrow night. Vacuum without being asked. So I have no reason to be resentful while I try to find $80,000 so you can get a degree.
Love,
Your mom.
You are about to launch out into the world. About to start university! This is so exciting (and scary) it makes my head want to explode. It was only 3 weeks ago I dropped you off for your first day of school, and here you are with an exemplary high school record, about to head off to greater learning pastures.
Did you know, however...
Did you know that the university you're looking at costs almost $20,000 a year? And that's before you buy clothes to wear to class. Or pay for the movie and dinner with your friends.
Did you know that, for four years of university at $20,000 a year, you will have spent pretty much the equivalent of what we initially spent on the house that covers your head when you sleep at night? The mortgage that your father and I will have paid off in another 3 years. After almost 25 years of payments.
Did you also know that, for better or for worse, the combined income of your father and I make you ineligible for a low interest student loan? We're lucky that we have such fantastic jobs, but we don't have $80,000 stuffed in a sock somewhere to pay for your education, and unfortunately at 18 you're not going to be able to get a regular loan. You don't have any collateral. You don't have any credit rating. That means that your dad and I will have to get a loan to cover your education.
I don't begrudge it. Not one bit. You're only young once. You work hard and get good marks. You haven't caused us a wink of trouble. I know where you are and what you're doing. And I know we're proud of you.
But I have to tell you.
I'm sitting here, folding your laundry, thinking that in 3 years our mortgage will be paid. And I have 6 weeks vacation. And I would really like to go to Italy. And I would really like to not have to ask you to put your dishes in the sink or to have to go looking for my makeup because you haven't put it back.
And I think of all of the kids out there who are causing their parents heartache - who curse at their parents, whose parents don't know where they are at night - and I feel guilty when I get resentful because you borrowed my iPhone charger and didn't bring it back.
So help me out here. Bring back my iPhone charger. Make supper tomorrow night. Vacuum without being asked. So I have no reason to be resentful while I try to find $80,000 so you can get a degree.
Love,
Your mom.