[rpunkfu]

Wouldn't you as a parent want to help your children avoid things you experienced?

I think you always want your children to go through less hassle than yourself?

I personally believe that guiding children through struggles we experienced is not a good idea of parenting.

Disclaimer: I didn't finish college as well, for same reasons as you.

Edit: I've realized my comment might've sounded like a critique of your parenting methods or anyone else's. That wasn't my intention, just that I know that it's hard to realize those things sometimes, especially if you're not a parent. I've always seen making life easier for your children as a bad thing, now I see this as the most important thing to do in life. It gets bad when you could move it further, helping people around making their life easier, but you don't - essentially making sure money "stays in family".. Again only my 2c.

[KingMachiavelli]

Agreed, my parents adopted the financial policy of providing just enough support that college was as difficult as possible but technically affordable. In hind sight, just a bit more help would have made a world of difference.

That said there is a huge expectation in the US. 90% of the time professors or admins mentioned paying for college they assumed people were getting parental assistance or financial aid. For better or worse paying for your adult child's higher education is not really a parental strategy but rather a societal norm all but written into law.

[joeframbach]

That was very Mitt Romney of you.

[joeframbach]

Are you saying that my parents chose our hardships?