[Tim Hancock]

One of my daughters is a high school gymnast and both are in band. The one in gymnastics can barely keep up with her homework in honors classes. They both are pretty busy with band in the fall. The one that plays no sports could work maybe 10 hrs a week, but we live in a rural area which would mean driving 15-20 miles each way to make $10.00 at at a fast food joint. I garantee they have more homework than I did when I was in highschool. They will both work this summer, but anyone who claims that every kid who wants to go to college can easily make enough to do it is just plain wrong. I am not saying it is impossible, but college tuition has just gone thru the roof.

I received very little assistance in the 80's (from my parents at least, I joined the Army reserves for the college assistance), but I truly believe times are a changing. If I had boys, I would probably demand more from them as far as cars and toys go, but I choose to give my daughters a reasonable amount of help where I can. It would be unthinkable to me to tell them that they cannot be in band and that they have to pay for everything themselves including rent, clothes, food, college tuition, car insurance, car repairs, car payment etc etc, all on a $10,000/yr burger flipping job.

Maybe if they decide they want to live in a trailer park with 2 kids and a drug habit at 19, I will quit helping them, but until then, I will give them some modest support.