Are Your Parents Funding Your College? At 40?
Saturday October 31, 2009
Over at The New York Times, there's a debate about The 40-Something Dependent Child. Think "All in the Family" from the 60s. Are you one? Are your parents funding your education as a non-traditional student? How do you feel about it? Grateful, or just plain dependent?
As the Guide to Continuing Education, I'm an advocate of higher education no matter how you get it. Well, within the law. Chances are on your side that with additional education, you can make your own way through life and pay back any debts you've accumulated, to parents or anyone else.
How do you feel about 40-somethings who are still dependent on mom and dad?
Comments
Hello Deb:
In your response to how I feel about 40 somethings living with their parents I’d have to say that it’s not the most ideal situation, but when that’s an option it’s good to have.
The economy is what it is, and many of us have had to find ways to cut costs, and make choices that we don’t always want.
I’m the oldest of eight and at some point almost all of us have had to return home due to one circumstance or another. The cost of living and getting an education especially when parents don’t have enough savings to help is a huge challenge to manage.
For those of us who’ve been or are non traditional students, we may not have taken the opportunity to get a degree earlier on in life and now to move up or keep our jobs we’ve needed to look for a variable to fluxuate for a while so the phone call goes out to mom and dad.
I’ve worked in colleges and have been involved in education my entire life, and I’ve helped students to weigh options that they may not have considered before so that they can provide for themselves and their family, and use their education to get ahead.
I think that it’s not always our first choice but when it is a choice it’s a blessing to have.
Sophie
You put it beautifully, Sophie. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. Indeed, what a blessing if you need it.