Rate race exit for those with families?

[Angel]

They don't have to repeat a year, they get credit for doing something that the Education Department considers to be worth more than sitting in a classroom. But I guess not all parents would put in as much 'education " into a travel experience as I would.

I am pretty clued up about what goes on inside a typical school. I can assure you that most of the time there is wasted. I have known a few families who home schooled, and by following the set govt curriculum, their children could complete all that was expected on them in about two hours each day. Think about what goes on - visiting the library, moving around between rooms, settling in and getting ready to go outside, waiting for the naughty kids to be quiet, doing "quiet time". These home schooled children I know would have all their work done by ten am so they could go horse riding or bike riding or swimming instead.

 

[oc1]

I think I know what ok180 is saying. When kids come along things change, your plans change. It did with me since last year when we had the little one. I guess you are limited now so one may think I can keep working; no rush to be completely free. I think it's also good to be a working dad say in my case, sets a good example.

 

[VYBerlinaV8]

They don't have to repeat a year, they get credit for doing something that the Education Department considers to be worth more than sitting in a classroom. But I guess not all parents would put in as much 'education " into a travel experience as I would.

I am pretty clued up about what goes on inside a typical school. I can assure you that most of the time there is wasted. I have known a few families who home schooled, and by following the set govt curriculum, their children could complete all that was expected on them in about two hours each day. Think about what goes on - visiting the library, moving around between rooms, settling in and getting ready to go outside, waiting for the naughty kids to be quiet, doing "quiet time". These home schooled children I know would have all their work done by ten am so they could go horse riding or bike riding or swimming instead.

I know children of friends who were homeschooled and easily gained entry into their desired uni course (including medicine). Kids who are smart and motivated could easily knock off a day of schoolwork in a few hours.

 

[Murphy69]

As Mark Twain said, 'Every child needs to take some time off from school to learn."

Personally, I think kids would learn more resilience and more about life experiencing travel for a year than they would in any given year in primary school.

I've also heard that if you are prepared to spend some time home schooling on your travels you can replicate a basic school curriculum in several hours a day. This is because you will be giving dedicated time to one or two students, rather than a teacher who has to manage a number of students, and conduct a heap of school admin (assemblies, roll call etc).

My parents moved heaps when I was a kid, including living overseas, and I think it gave me a perspective and a resilience that many of my peers lacked.

Murphy

 

[Andrew_A]

As Mark Twain said, 'Every child needs to take some time off from school to learn..."

Mark Twain just had a whole library of great quotes.

Travel does broaden the mind, I'd love to take a winnebago on a drive across America with the kids, or perhaps I've just watched too many movies

 

[kathryn d]

I read this and thought the same.Who knows what they earn or have achieved.Never Judge A Book By Its Cover because you just never know.

I've 'read' this book several times....ending doesn't change.


I guess if we all really thought this was ideal, we'd(SS's) have gone on welfare years ago..and faked a disability like most of them.
Since when is being lazy a disability?

Almost every tenant we have, that is collecting 'disability' always say they are handymen, and if we ever need help....

Working towards a goal, and achieving it, is a wonderful feeling.

 

[roe]

I had a childhood most people considered poor and has little future
but for me I didn't notice it, I got to be street smart and chase train, jump on moving bus, ride on open transport with no restrain or regard for safety.

it is not so much about the environment but what your parents guide you and watching their actions, how they deal with life and decision they made had more profound affect on me than going hungry or live in a dangerous environment.

my parents are some serious tough people not physical but mentally who has to deal with a lot of stuff 90% of the people never have to in their life.... and they handle it with style and a long the way taught us valuable life lessons and we all end up excel way above their expectation.

 

[geoffw]

Daughter #1 wasn't so interested in doing this, but daughter #2 went to school in Mexico for 7 months just before she turned 15. It was a fantastic broadening experience for her, something which really opened up her world view.

The investing had provided us with some of the means to be able to do this. Plus doing without a few of the doodads.

 

[joeExpat]

I ?retired? 2 weeks before my youngest was born. He will never see me work at a regular job. I don?t see this as a negative, he sees me doing a lot of other stuff, including pickup and interaction at preschool, and my own projects. There?s more time to teach him other things (like English, sports, games, etc). Just took my other son on a week trip to Switzerland and he learn a lot about other languages, mountains, etc.. Couldn't do that if I was working full time, holidays would have to be structured much more carefully.

 

[BayView]

I read this and thought the same.Who knows what they earn or have achieved.Never Judge A Book By Its Cover because you just never know.

Sitting under a tree without a care in the world is awesome...for a while.

But then you get all antsy and fidgety and want to do stuff like; go snow or water skiing, travel to Italy, go see a movie, hike through the Himalayas, drive a cool car, play golf, become a bike rider, surfing in Maui, even plain old camping down at Wilson's Prom...

And that's where money comes in.

I see loads of folks with no/little money wandering around.....never go to Hamilton Island, or even Philip Island. They limp their bomb of a car from one month to the next, hoping it will still go, wondering if their bus will turn up on time, and other cool "no money" lifestyle extravaganzas.

They may be happy. They may be content....

I'd wager they aren't. Not really.

I've been that person by the way; I prefer to have a bit of money.

 

[Frito]

Having this debate with my partner now, daughter turning four and we are debating weather I become stay at home dad/return to study etc, trading off income and opportunities and what that will mean. As a welfare work it is also playing on my mind- we wouldnt end up in poverty- but it could be stressful juggling and I wonder what pressure this will put on my parenting capacity. I grew up in an 'old school' household where everyone works and anyone (men especially) not doing a solid traditional bread winner job regarded with suspicion so it is challenging alot of behaviour that was bred into me. From what i can see though, the biggest indicator in positive outcomes for children are socio economic factors and being involved parents- following excerpt is taken from http://www.aifs.gov.au/institute/pubs/RP30.html

Socioeconomic status

Socioeconomic status, often defined in terms of occupation, parental education and family income, is also known to bring about consequences for child wellbeing. An overwhelming number of research studies from the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia have demonstrated a correlation of striking magnitude between child poverty and various measures of child achievement, health and behaviour (Duncan and Brooks-Gunn 2000 1997; Hobcraft 1998; Taylor and McDonald 1998). Both the duration and depth of poverty intensify these effects (McLeod and Shannahan 1996, Smith et al. 1997).

There is mounting evidence that the negative impact of economic disadvantage on children and adolescents significantly derives from effects on the emotions and behaviours of parents or other carers. More specifically, socioeconomic status has been related to parental involvement and particularly parents' ability to provide warmth, structure and control (Conger, Reuter and Conger 2000; Adams 1998; McLoyd 1998; Hoff-Ginsberg and Tardif 1995). Stressors associated with poverty may also have psychological consequences for parents, including low self-esteem, low aspirations and expectations and social isolation, as well as anger and hostility (St Pierre and Layzer 1998).

In a recent comprehensive review of socioeconomic status and child development, Bradley and Corwyn (2002) identified several mediating factors that researchers have specified to explain the processes through which socioeconomic status operates to influence child development. Among these are parent resources and constraints, such as poor nutrition, inability to secure appropriate health care, dilapidated, crowded housing, lack of access to cognitively stimulating materials and experiences, teacher attitudes and expectations and physiologic responses to stress (see also Oliver and Shapiro 1995).

Poverty and lower income are also associated with higher levels of marital stress, dissatisfaction and dissolution (Voydanoff 1990; White and Rogers 2000). Largely as the result of the aforementioned stresses and economic strains, lower socioeconomic status is associated with higher levels of domestic violence (Gelles 1993). Family functioning is also found to vary as a function of socioeconomic status (Bradley and Corwyn 2002).

Children also suffer from living under economic stress because they often live in undesirable or dangerous neighbourhoods with poorly financed or inadequate educational programs and services for children. The quality and quantity of education a child receives is strongly influenced by the level of parental income, which then affects that child's ability to compete effectively in the labour market (Duncan, Yeung, Brooks-Gunn and Smith 1998). The quality of school that a child attends may also determine the likelihood of them associating with poorly behaving peers. Parents' occupational status has also been positively related to developmental status in infancy, intelligence, school achievement and social maturity (Gottfried et al. 1995: 149).

Poverty and low socioeconomic status are thought to provide risks for negative outcomes among children growing up in mother-only households in particular (see later).

In short- don't be broke, and try not to get stressed!

 

[LoneWolf]

Money is the cause to most evils (can't remember where I heard this from)

 

[BayView]

Money is the cause to most evils (can't remember where I heard this from)

I think it's meant to be "the LOVE of money is the root of all evil". ?

 

[D.T.]

Money is the cause to most evils (can't remember where I heard this from)

What a load of bollocks.

 

[tobe]

What are you guys talking about? Showing the children that they have to work for someone else to make money is important? Thats exactly what I dont want my kids to grow up thinking.

I want them to realise there are loads of ways to live. They can see an example of working for someone else everywhere. Its the 'dominant paradigm'. Just Over Broke JOB. Paid just enough to get back to work the following day.

There are enough influences in the rest of the world, consumerism, debt traps, climbing a corporate ladder overeating etc.

I want my kids to learn about hard work, as well as controling thier living expenses, or just self control really.

But most importantly I want them to learn about living their dreams. About doing things they love (and how they can afford it!). I want them to be self reliant, and 'free thinkers, to have an open mind to all possibilities.

Once I retire I doubt I will spend much time on the couch in any case. With the kids in school, Ill be taking off every school holiday and xmas etc, and a few weeks here and there in the school year. There is more to education than school.

 

[tobe]

Money is the cause to most evils (can't remember where I heard this from)

its the 'love' of money, and its from the bible.

Interestingly theres another story about 3 sons and the 'talents' (the name of the currency) their father gave them.

the first buried the talents, the second spent the talents on consumer stuff and the third invested his talents.

the father was most angry with the one that buried the talents. Money, and talents need to be used.

the parable of the talents is what the story is called.

 

[ok180]

What are you guys talking about? Showing the children that they have to work for someone else to make money is important? Thats exactly what I dont want my kids to grow up thinking.

I want them to realise there are loads of ways to live. They can see an example of working for someone else everywhere. Its the 'dominant paradigm'. Just Over Broke JOB. Paid just enough to get back to work the following day.

There are enough influences in the rest of the world, consumerism, debt traps, climbing a corporate ladder overeating etc.

I want my kids to learn about hard work, as well as controling thier living expenses, or just self control really.

But most importantly I want them to learn about living their dreams. About doing things they love (and how they can afford it!). I want them to be self reliant, and 'free thinkers, to have an open mind to all possibilities.

Once I retire I doubt I will spend much time on the couch in any case. With the kids in school, Ill be taking off every school holiday and xmas etc, and a few weeks here and there in the school year. There is more to education than school.

I work for myself. Not in a dominant paradigm as you put it. Not that there is anything wrong with having a good paying job either.

You say you won't sit on the couch and do nothing when you retire but what will you do? Golf? Shop? Save people in some far off 3rd world country? Those are all nice things but the reality is you need money to do it. You would have made your money by working then investing.

How are your children going to fully grasp that if all they see is mum and dad off for a balloon flight today? Monkey see monkey do.

I have some experience with this, my uncle was a hard worker when he was young but then later turned to the "dark side" and went for compo payouts, pensions etc. His attitude was like a lot of people on here. I have enough, don't need to do more etc. Now his kids are pushing 40, they worked when they were younger but gave it up and now live with him and are also on the compo/pension thing. I have a few other similar examples like this too. Parents did little and the kids did even less.

 

[D.T.]

you're delusional

 

[ok180]

you're delusional

Think carefully. Majority of the people you know, do their offspring end up a lot different to them? Do they have totally different values to what they were brought up with?

 

[tobe]

I work for myself. Not in a dominant paradigm as you put it. Not that there is anything wrong with having a good paying job either.

You say you won't sit on the couch and do nothing when you retire but what will you do? Golf? Shop? Save people in some far off 3rd world country? Those are all nice things but the reality is you need money to do it. You would have made your money by working then investing.

How are your children going to fully grasp that if all they see is mum and dad off for a balloon flight today? Monkey see monkey do.

I have some experience with this, my uncle was a hard worker when he was young but then later turned to the "dark side" and went for compo payouts, pensions etc. His attitude was like a lot of people on here. I have enough, don't need to do more etc. Now his kids are pushing 40, they worked when they were younger but gave it up and now live with him and are also on the compo/pension thing. I have a few other similar examples like this too. Parents did little and the kids did even less.

Might try Golf, probably not. Most likely the same stuff I do now but more. Cycling, gardening. Id try a couple of small business ideas. I already do some volunteer work, I would do more. The type of job Im in, I can continue on a casual basis.

I guess what I am saying is when I retire, I wont be getting any welfare. It will not be the same as someone on disability or similar who "retires". I wont be worrying about money, I wont limit my lifestyle due to finances. I think that will make a material diference to the cues the kids pick up.

Your first post was about retiring young. I took that to mean retiring and living off passive income, not retiring on welfare/pension/dole etc. I think the two types of retirement are materially diferent, like chalk and cheese in fact.

My kids will see Mum and Dad go on a balloon flight. They have also seen us have meetings with accountants, estate agents etc. They have seen us paint rental houses, deal with tenats mess, go to Vcat etc etc.

Most of all they have seen us be self reliant, and they know that when they turn 18, they are going to be self reliant too (because we have been telling them for years).