Parents and schools NOT preparing their kids for the real world?

I came across this very interesting post on a web forum dealing with
the issue of homelessness:

http://www.ihatemylife.us/cgi-bin/we....pl/read/11626

"TO EVERYONE ON THIS BOARD THAT IS/WAS HOMELESS...When you were
growing up, did your parents ever tell you the following? "Don't worry
about fitting in, dating, partying, or having too much fun in high
school. Just do your homework and be good, and you'll be the one
getting the last laugh someday, when you'll be getting whatever high-
paying job you want! You can be a doctor! a lawyer! an astronaut! the
president!"

And for all of those that have been told this, how many of you WERE
good-behaved, got decent grades, abstained from drugs or having babies
at a young age, and STILL struggled to find a job or (financially) get
by on your own later in life?

I was one of those people. Good grades, worked "honest jobs" like fast
food and dishwashing at age 14 up, was a total geek. Where did I end
up at age 22?...HOMELESS, still working for $5.15/hr. Didn't even have
the college degree I'd worked so hard for, b/c I owed the school
tuition money before they'd let me finish the very last semester
towards my BA.

So just curious...of those that have/are homeless on here, did you
guys "do everything right" growing up? Did you guys think you would
ever end up "being a homeless person" when you'd grow up? Any stories
or experiences? Do some of you agree that the line parents tell their
kids has little truth, and might be used as a simple disciplinary
method similar to Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairy?"

My response?

I agree, that's the standard spew parents regurgitate to their kids
without stopping to
really think about it. What really bothers me is that schools don't
teach kids what
to do in case they can't find a job or when the s*it really hits the
fan. They act like that the worlds almost perfect out there and you
will get some kind of job when you graduate high school or collage.
Sadly, the reality these days is very different, especially under
Bushanomics. (outsource outsource outsource)

On Jul 18, 6:48 am, wrote:
I came across this very interesting post on a web forum dealing with
the issue of homelessness:

http://www.ihatemylife.us/cgi-bin/we....pl/read/11626

"TO EVERYONE ON THIS BOARD THAT IS/WAS HOMELESS...When you were
growing up, did your parents ever tell you the following? "Don't worry
about fitting in, dating, partying, or having too much fun in high
school. Just do your homework and be good, and you'll be the one
getting the last laugh someday, when you'll be getting whatever high-
paying job you want! You can be a doctor! a lawyer! an astronaut! the
president!"

And for all of those that have been told this, how many of you WERE
good-behaved, got decent grades, abstained from drugs or having babies
at a young age, and STILL struggled to find a job or (financially) get
by on your own later in life?

In the real world, behaving well and getting an education IMPROVE
one's chance of finding a job, especially a well-paying one, but there
are NO guarantees.


I was one of those people. Good grades, worked "honest jobs" like fast
food and dishwashing at age 14 up, was a total geek. Where did I end
up at age 22?...HOMELESS, still working for $5.15/hr.

Why can't you move in with family? Your earnings can pay for part of
the rent. Alternatively, many young adults share apartments to reduce
expenses.

Instead of blaming the "system" for your problems, think about the
jobs you could realistically do and how you can prepare for them.

On Jul 18, 6:48?am, wrote:
I came across this very interesting post on a web forum dealing with
the issue of homelessness:

http://www.ihatemylife.us/cgi-bin/we....pl/read/11626

"TO EVERYONE ON THIS BOARD THAT IS/WAS HOMELESS...When you were
growing up, did your parents ever tell you the following? "Don't worry
about fitting in, dating, partying, or having too much fun in high
school. Just do your homework and be good, and you'll be the one
getting the last laugh someday, when you'll be getting whatever high-
paying job you want! You can be a doctor! a lawyer! an astronaut! the
president!"

And for all of those that have been told this, how many of you WERE
good-behaved, got decent grades, abstained from drugs or having babies
at a young age, and STILL struggled to find a job or (financially) get
by on your own later in life?

I was one of those people. Good grades, worked "honest jobs" like fast
food and dishwashing at age 14 up, was a total geek. Where did I end
up at age 22?...HOMELESS, still working for $5.15/hr. Didn't even have
the college degree I'd worked so hard for, b/c I owed the school
tuition money before they'd let me finish the very last semester
towards my BA.

So just curious...of those that have/are homeless on here, did you
guys "do everything right" growing up? Did you guys think you would
ever end up "being a homeless person" when you'd grow up? Any stories
or experiences? Do some of you agree that the line parents tell their
kids has little truth, and might be used as a simple disciplinary
method similar to Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairy?"

My response?

I agree, that's the standard spew parents regurgitate to their kids
without stopping to
really think about it. What really bothers me is that schools don't
teach kids what
to do in case they can't find a job or when the s*it really hits the
fan. They act like that the worlds almost perfect out there and you
will get some kind of job when you graduate high school or collage.
Sadly, the reality these days is very different, especially under
Bushanomics. (outsource outsource outsource)

Honestly, I have no idea why you'd be so mad at your parents for
sharing that; sheesh, it isn't literal but instead meant to part a bit
of wisdom as to where the "bad seeds" are bound to wind up compared to
the "good seeds." The passages you quote above are just the beginning
of a life lesson. It is up to you to follow it up, follow it through,
and that lesson should also be accompanied by another great life
lesson -- you can do anything you want to do if you put your mind to
it, even without college, (that is not a literal statement but one
left up to self-interpretation as to what one needs to do to get
there) and another is that there is nobody to blame for where you are
but yourself and only you can change the circumstances. Starting at
the bottom and working one's way up without college is not a terrible
thing either. Too many people feel entitled these days, and that is
one thing I intend to make sure my kids don't feel. My dad left my 22-
year-old mother with 3 children under the age of 3 and she fought
tooth and nail to ensure we didn't end up homeless; came pretty close
a couple of times too. I learned the greatest life lessons just having
her for a role model. Oh, and that one about not treating anyone like
dirt because you may wind up working FOR them or wanting a job FROM
them some day is a good one too.

On Jul 18, 3:48 am, wrote:
I came across this very interesting post on a web forum dealing with
the issue of homelessness:

http://www.ihatemylife.us/cgi-bin/we....pl/read/11626

"TO EVERYONE ON THIS BOARD THAT IS/WAS HOMELESS...When you were
growing up, did your parents ever tell you the following? "Don't worry
about fitting in, dating, partying, or having too much fun in high
school. Just do your homework and be good, and you'll be the one
getting the last laugh someday, when you'll be getting whatever high-
paying job you want! You can be a doctor! a lawyer! an astronaut! the
president!"

And for all of those that have been told this, how many of you WERE
good-behaved, got decent grades, abstained from drugs or having babies
at a young age, and STILL struggled to find a job or (financially) get
by on your own later in life?

I was one of those people. Good grades, worked "honest jobs" like fast
food and dishwashing at age 14 up, was a total geek. Where did I end
up at age 22?...HOMELESS, still working for $5.15/hr. Didn't even have
the college degree I'd worked so hard for, b/c I owed the school
tuition money before they'd let me finish the very last semester
towards my BA.

So just curious...of those that have/are homeless on here, did you
guys "do everything right" growing up? Did you guys think you would
ever end up "being a homeless person" when you'd grow up? Any stories
or experiences? Do some of you agree that the line parents tell their
kids has little truth, and might be used as a simple disciplinary
method similar to Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairy?"

My response?

I agree, that's the standard spew parents regurgitate to their kids
without stopping to
really think about it. What really bothers me is that schools don't
teach kids what
to do in case they can't find a job or when the s*it really hits the
fan. They act like that the worlds almost perfect out there and you
will get some kind of job when you graduate high school or collage.
Sadly, the reality these days is very different, especially under
Bushanomics. (outsource outsource outsource)

Bush sez.. 'Gotta be prepared for the jobs of the future!'
'Dontchknow'..

I say, 'Then quit sending our jobs overseas.'
'And quit replacing us here with illegal mexican labor!'

I know a little about what the article speaks of.. summer jobs,
scholarships, grants, school jobs, cheap housing, losing 30 lbs a
semester by eating cheap... just to try to get through university (as
fast and inexpensively as possible).

And it all came down to family backing, connections, and luck as to
what happened after the graduation.

My friends from rich families had their futures handed to them on
platters; european or world tours, maybe a year or two off for some
creative 'discover yourself' artiste retreat, and then some nice
starter office or studio in a relative's business. The rest of us had
to wade through the interview jungle and a tough slog up the ladder

...and all of this was *before* the neocons started to destroy decent
paying jobs with outsourced and illegal foreign labor.

Moral of the story is simple. Be born in a rich family.

And if that's not possible.. don't be a sucker when it comes to
continuing to allow the rich (neocons) to appropriate (steal) more
than their fair share of wealth. If you don't care to do so for
yourself, do so for your kids.