Columnist Betsy Hart on cutting back (mother of four)
leno...@yahoo.com
"It Takes a Parent: How the Culture of Pushover Parenting Is Hurting
Our Children-and What to Do About it."
Lenona.
http://online.indianagazette.com/articles/2008/10/19/opinions/syndicated_columnists/10004131.txt
Excerpt from the second half:
"I have no problem with telling my kids, ``we're running a tighter
ship - get used to it.''
"I know, I know, big deal. I still have my home, good schools for my
kids, and I'm not getting rid of the satellite TV anytime soon. So I
guess for now I'm somewhere between the folks who are losing jobs and
possibly their homes on the one side, and a wealthy acquaintance of
mine on the other who announced to me with a straight face that she's
really cutting back - when her Mercedes lease comes up again, she's
not renewing it!
"Still, whatever one's relative changes, the news reports are that
more and more Americans are dramatically cutting back. The AP reported
this week that retail sales for September 'fell off a cliff.' And that
may require some psychological adjustments for all of us.
"This summer, my kids and I saw the Kit Kittredge movie - a greatly
romanticized version of the Great Depression. And so recently I told
my children we won't be taking in boarders time soon, but. ... they
shouldn't get too attached to their bedrooms! Sure they know I'm
joking, but I think it's important for them to see that circumstances
might change (however still comfortable we are) but `things' aren't
what we put our faith in anyway........."
Rod Speed
> She's in her mid-40s, BTW.
How old are the kids ?
> Her website is betsysblog.com.
> Her book is "It Takes a Parent: How the Culture of Pushover
> Parenting Is Hurting Our Children-and What to Do About it."
> http://online.indianagazette.com/articles/2008/10/19/opinions/syndicated_columnists/10004131.txt
> Excerpt from the second half:
> "I have no problem with telling my kids, ``we're running a tighter ship - get used to it.''
And she'll come to reget that when they pick her nursing home.
> "I know, I know, big deal. I still have my home, good schools for
> my kids, and I'm not getting rid of the satellite TV anytime soon.
> So I guess for now I'm somewhere between the folks who are
> losing jobs and possibly their homes on the one side, and a
> wealthy acquaintance of mine on the other who announced to
> me with a straight face that she's really cutting back - when
> her Mercedes lease comes up again, she's not renewing it!
> "Still, whatever one's relative changes, the news reports are
> that more and more Americans are dramatically cutting back.
More fool them. That will only make the problem MUCH worse.
> The AP reported this week that retail sales for September 'fell off a cliff.'
Mindless silly hype.
> And that may require some psychological adjustments for all of us.
Nope.
> "This summer, my kids and I saw the Kit Kittredge movie -
> a greatly romanticized version of the Great Depression.
> And so recently I told my children we won't be taking
> in boarders time soon, but. ... they shouldn't get too
> attached to their bedrooms! Sure they know I'm joking,
> but I think it's important for them to see that circumstances
> might change (however still comfortable we are) but
> `things' aren't what we put our faith in anyway........."
Then you should allow those who have lost their houses to move in.
leno...@yahoo.com
Her son, the oldest, is 14. That's all I remember, but I'm pretty sure
the youngest girl is at least 5.
Lenona.