Quote:
Originally Posted by Roughneck
Why keep the room theirs as long as possible if you're paying a mortgage on a different house they're living in, in the same city no less? Doesn't make any sense.
If the plan is to sell the place when they're done, why not just put a down payment on a house wherever they plan on going to school?
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It makes perfect sense. Life is unpredictable. They're going to have a house I'll put the down payment on and they'll be responsible for renting out the rooms. Keeping a safe place for them at home is considerate. Maybe they'll need mom and dad and their comfortable little rooms after a break up, if they get sick, if they're stressed out...who knows? If it's not needed I won't keep it forever like some weird mausoleum, but until I'm sure they're gone, settled and not coming back I'm going to have a spot here for them.
I think buying the house also scratches the independence itch - it's for sure healthy to get some space from your parents as a young adult.
For a gap year, I'd love to see them move to a ski hill. I moved to lake Louise to work for a winter the day after I turned 18...it was so fkn awesome and fun. They're both snowboard instructors and they have expressed an interest, so we'll see. I know they're feeling pressure to go straight to university as that seems to be the plan for a lot of their friends, so I'm just leaving that up to them.
As for a gap year after university...I'm 100% fine with that and I don't think it's a detriment to career prospects. Will some employers not like that? Well, I guess so, evidenced by people saying that in this thread; however, I wouldn't let that dissuade them at all. For every employer that would look down on that, I'm sure there are a dozen who would find it interesting and view it as an asset that somebody would take the opportunity to go on an adventure or do something interesting before starting adulthood. I know I would and I've hired a hundred people over my career.
I just think going away for university is a waste of money. Money isn't everything, true, but I grew up many years poor af and having money is a bazillion times better than being stressed about money. Could I afford to send them away? Sure. Will I? Not a chance...I'll take the money that would cost and set them up with a huge headstart in life that'll pay dividends their entire life with less debt, less interest paid and more financial security. Just like a big wedding...I'll never contribute a cent to one of those lavish money wasters. I'll pay for a justice of the peace and a nice dinner. Boom, done. Shouldn't cost more than $2k. I can't stand to see money wasted.