Sunday, May 15, 2016

Read These College Application Essays About Money To Your Kids

Today’s fantastic family finance article is:

Being Quiet About Money


What if your kid chose to write a college application essay about money. What would it say?

Today’s article features 4 outstanding money essays culled from hundreds submitted to the New York Times.

Read one or two or all of these essays with your kids. Have a discussion. Likes? Dislikes? Reactions?

Do you think the parents had an inkling of their kids’ feelings?

Did Isabella’s mom know the deep influence of their “Dominican-bred frugality.”

Do Joseph’s parents know the odd mix of fear and pride that comes with being the first in the family to go to college?

Do Erica’s parents know the guilt and loathing she has for the money behaviors in her town — voted “the snobbiest city in Michigan”?

Sarah’s dad definitely didn’t know about her money feelings:

“Her father was surprised that his daughter had thought so hard about his feelings about his career and livelihood.”

That isn’t bad per se, but maybe a missed opportunity?

Your kids might be developing deep feelings about career, money, and values right now. Feelings based on you, the community, the country. This exercise might offer a comfortable opportunity tease out those feelings. Maybe you can add some perspective. Maybe you’ll gain some perspective.

Better to find out how your kid’s money essay is shaping up now than wait for senior year. Your conversation might change the story.


No comments:

Post a Comment