by Hope
Princes is 16 and a senior in high school. She works a part time job. And she is not participating in any sports this year. (At least, at this point.)
So just like the twins before her, she will begin taking on some financial responsibilities.
Time to Pay Some Bills
She will begin paying her phone bill at $45 per month. She has the opportunity to reduce that to $35 if she wants to get rid of the hot spot service which is an add on she has.
Princess will also begin paying 1/2 of her monthly insurance premiums at $125 per month.
This responsibility would have begun earlier this summer; however, we made a deal that I would pay for her car insurance if she would attend summer school and take two college classes.
And I would probably not be implementing this responsibility if she was continuing to participate in school sports. The time commitment and time management responsibility she takes on when managing school, a part time job along with sports would be equal in my mind to stepping into some minor financial responsibilities.
But…since she has chosen to give up sports for the time being, it is time.
Different Treatment but Fair and Always Loved
I am often accused of unequal treatment of my children on this blog. And that hurts. But I can tell you that I have set down and done some soul searching and discussed this with the twins. And I can assure you that any “inequality” is just difference in treatment, not anything else.
Each child has unique gifts and challenges and I adjust my parenting appropriately. So are they treated differently, absolutely, no doubt! Are they treat unfairly or dis-proportionally, no. But their disciplines have been different, their responsibilities have been different and their opportunities have been different. But always fair in the long run. And not one of them doubts the love I have for them.
Hope is a creative, solutions-focused business manager helping clients grow their business and work more efficiently by leveraging expertise in project management, digital marketing, & tech solutions. She’s recently become an empty nester as her 5 foster/adoptive kids have spread their wings. She lives with her 3 dogs in a small town in NE Georgia and prefers the mountains to the beaches any day. She struggles with the travel bug and is doing her best to help each of her kids as their finish schooling and become independent (but it’s hard!) She has run her own consulting company for almost twenty years! Hope began sharing her journey with the BAD community in the Spring of 2015 and feels like she has finally in a place to really focus on making wise financial decisions.
I am one of five and my parents parented each of us differently. I hold no animosity or judgment toward my parents or siblings. As a parent myself, I admire how they were able to adjust and meet each kid where they were. Even as adults, we get varying levels of support, but we all know that our parents are first in line to assist no matter what life throws our way.
Hope, I have always felt exactly the same way!!! A lot of my family believes it is just wrong, that they should all be exactly equal, down to the penny on monitary items. Each child is different. I don’t really mind if I buy something for one and not another. If it happened to be there and perfect for one, then that is how it is…Also, each child is wildly different in their strengths ahd weaknesses. It is not all about dollar amounts being equal. If one wants to do dance and the other one wants a truck to soup up, it is what it is. Something will come up for the others. You are doing so well. Keep up the good work!
Hope, I have always felt exactly the same way!!! A lot of my family believes it is just wrong, that they should all be exactly equal, down to the penny on monitary items. Each child is different. I don’t really mind if I buy something for one and not another. If it happened to be there and perfect for one, then that is how it is…Also, each child is wildly different in their strengths and weaknesses. It is not all about dollar amounts being equal. If one wants to do dance and the other one wants a truck to soup up, it is what it is. Something will come up for the others. You are doing so well. Keep up the good work!