Changes in Washington start with me
Lynn commented on the Hillary video:
I don't just believe it can be done, I know from personal experience it can. My husband and I lived on $800-$1000/month (his part-time income combined with money I made doing various income-earning things from home) while he went through law school. Sure, it was tight. Yes, there were times when we didn't know how the ends were going to meet at the end of the month. But, by God's grace, we made it through without relying upon any government assistance or accruing any debt and without me having an outside-the-home job after we had children.
So many families today are in financial trouble as a result of a lack of knowledge and training. My generation doesn't know how live on less than they make because having quite a bit of unsecured debt is considered normal. Most young couples I've come across who are struggling financially were not raised with creative and entrepreneurial spirits, they were raised to use credit cards.
When people fall into financial trouble, instead of having to bear the consequences of their own mistakes, they often look to the government to bail them out. It is a viscous cycle; the more the government steps in and helps people, the more people rely upon the government, so then the more the government has to step in.
I believe it is high time we start learning to be personally responsible for our own actions and mistakes. It is high time we commit to get on a budget, to live on less than we make, to spend less and save more. And it is high time we start training our children to be wise stewards of the resources God has given us and to stop looking to the government for handouts.
We can't expect politicians in Washington to ever consider cutting taxes and government welfare programs until we stop demanding more help and start learning to take care of ourselves. Change in our society must begin with us.
Universal Pre-K isn't going to force you to send your child to nursery school. Considering the cost of preschool, I think gov't subsidised programs are incredibly helpful for low-income parents who have to WORK and can't afford to stay home and homeschool.Lynn, I believe very few families must have two outside-the-home incomes to survive. With faith in God, lots of creativity and thinking outside the box, and the whole family working together with an entrepreneurial spirit, almost any family can afford for mom to stay home.
I don't just believe it can be done, I know from personal experience it can. My husband and I lived on $800-$1000/month (his part-time income combined with money I made doing various income-earning things from home) while he went through law school. Sure, it was tight. Yes, there were times when we didn't know how the ends were going to meet at the end of the month. But, by God's grace, we made it through without relying upon any government assistance or accruing any debt and without me having an outside-the-home job after we had children.
So many families today are in financial trouble as a result of a lack of knowledge and training. My generation doesn't know how live on less than they make because having quite a bit of unsecured debt is considered normal. Most young couples I've come across who are struggling financially were not raised with creative and entrepreneurial spirits, they were raised to use credit cards.
When people fall into financial trouble, instead of having to bear the consequences of their own mistakes, they often look to the government to bail them out. It is a viscous cycle; the more the government steps in and helps people, the more people rely upon the government, so then the more the government has to step in.
I believe it is high time we start learning to be personally responsible for our own actions and mistakes. It is high time we commit to get on a budget, to live on less than we make, to spend less and save more. And it is high time we start training our children to be wise stewards of the resources God has given us and to stop looking to the government for handouts.
We can't expect politicians in Washington to ever consider cutting taxes and government welfare programs until we stop demanding more help and start learning to take care of ourselves. Change in our society must begin with us.
Labels: Budgeting and Finances, Hot Topics, Politics
posted by Crystal Paine at 9:42 AM
92 Comments:
I don't know how to make the capital letters look any bigger or I would: AMEN!
I wholeheartedly agree with you. It is really quite unusual for a woman to "need" to work outside of the home.
Ask 75 and 80 year olds that have been married for oh, say 50 or 60 years about what you "need" to have in order to have a happy home and marriage. I bet you won't hear a dual income very often!
Take Care,
Trixie
Right on, right on!
I agree to a point. But many of the low-income families that rely, to some extent, on government assistance, are single parents, specifically single mothers. There is no father to go out and bring in the income, so she can stay home. In an ideal world, she would be a Christian and her church would step in and care for her in the same way the early church was commanded to care for widows and their families. But what if she isn't a Christian or her church doesn't step in? I don't have a problem with someone is TRULY in need (defined as a family who would literally not have enough food to eat, if they were not helped) accepting government assistance, as long as it is seen as a temporary measure. By government assistance, I am not just talking about welfare, but other programs such as WIC, also.
Our government spends more than it earns, it takes OUR hard earned income to pay for programs it decides are best,and it's citizens are also in a vicious cycle of debt and living beyond their means. I totally agree with this post and wish everyone would follow your advice. Including our government. Please read what Ron Paul says about government spending and income tax. It will open your eyes. ronpaul2008.com has articles written by Dr. Paul you can read. He is truly a good man. Before anyone decides on Huckabee, please at least reasearch Dr. Paul, the very least that will happen is an eye opening to the ways of Washington. Thanks for this post!!
Crystal~ You are right. My generation (mid-30s) and younger thinks that debt is normal, necessary, and good (gotta have debt to have a good credit score!). Just this past week I watched the news reports that said that consumer spending for the Christmas gift season was up 4+% from 2006 and this was considered a slow growth year. To me, the bottom line is that spending is up. Most wages aren't up, but cost of living is...yet we (on the whole) spend, spend, spend as though our lives will end if we don't have the newest, the best, and the state of the art. Budgets are a thing of the past.
My husband and I live on a combined income (we have no children at home) that is barely above what is considered our local poverty level. Yet we have a lovely apartment...and everything that we need. God does bless our efforts at economy!
Sorry for the rant...I'm pretty zealous that mommies can stay home. I did it for years, we learned to live on less, and it's the best decision that we made!
I see your point, and to an extent I agree with you, but homeschool isn't for everyone, even if people do stretch and swing it. Not everyone has the patience, or quite honestly, the education to do it properly. I agree that people have to be responsible, but I also think it's important for the government to step in and take care of people's children who aren't going to do it themselves. I feel more comfortable knowing that my government would be there if I really needed them to be. (And I never have -- no credit card debt ever, paid my own way through college with the help of gov't loans, owned a home at age 23, made smart choices, and even in this awful economy my family is in a pretty good place.) I think we'll have to agree to disagree on the finer points of this, though I agree with much of what you wrote about personal responsibility. It's something that seems to be lost these days, and as parents we DO have to instill that value in our children. (By the way, one of the reasons I enjoy reading your blog is that even when you don't agree with people, you reply in an intelligent and calm manner and I appreciate that! You don't see that much online, and I think it says a lot of great things about your character.)
THANK YOU!!! I so glad that I'm not the only person in the USA that feels that way! I just wish my coworkers from Peru could just understand that!
Amen! :D
Yes people's circumstances could leave a woman as a single mom, more often than not, but in general people would simply use a univeral pre-k program as day care being free. It simply means people can dump their kids off earlier and earlier
Universal pre-k is simply a code word for govt paid day care.
The cost of daycare is one factor we have to encourage woman to stay home and giving thier children that short period of nurturning they sooooo need.
I hate to see what would become of this country if more and more kids were forced into this type of government system at an earlier age.
My dh and I were involved for a few years with financial counseling through a Christian organization. This is what we found - people that were struggling financially were not struggling due to a too small income - it was due to too much debt from credit cards, vehicles and big houses. Over indulging is the problem - plus the feeling that we are ENTITLED to certain things b/c that's what "everyone" else has.
My neighbor sends their kids to a private school, my friend has a house that costs 2x as much as mine, my cousins are going to Disney World - so why shouldn't we??
A lot of it is greed and selfishness and a desire to fulfill ourselves with what the world has to offer - when those offerings will only cause more discontent.
On the other side though - it is becoming more difficult due to the economy, costs of housing etc. for a one income family to do it on a single income. Not impossible though.
The new houses being built and sold all around us - no way can they be afforded on one income. But you can choose to live in one of those beautiful big houses or you can live next door to us in a 50's neighborhood in a 1000 sq ft home.
It's all about choices.
When I was in college, 1985-1989, NO woman was expected to stay home and if a girl did get pregnant, we all felt sorry for her because she got stuck with a kid! I learned nothing about raising a family or being a wife and I sure didn't learn it at home! I did, however, learn how to wear a power suit, hire a super nanny, and repeat the phrase "I'm above that".
Fast forward through a career in public education and grad school.... I taught other peoples' kiddos for 8 hours a day. Sure, I was their teacher but basically I parented to the best of my ineptitude! I realized this was not the way I truly, deep in the soul of my very being, wanted to be...
Fortunately, I became friends with a woman who knew about Hyles Anderson College in Indiana. Through the resources there (and Christian Womanhood publications and magazine), I began to learn about being a WOMAN, a LADY, a WIFE and a MOTHER. It was basic stuff... let me tell you... but I didn't have a clue.
Now I'm a MOM. I am at HOME. My boys are fairly well-behaved and very happy and bonded. I still struggle with being clueless about certain domestic skills but I'm learning. In the process, I've met a handful of other like-minded women (most of us with adopted kiddos) and together we are learning how to be what the Bible teaches we should be. I think I'm one of the lucky ones... I have the resources to learn and the willingness to be teachable...now.
If I had to go back in the classroom, I think I'd be a better teacher after learning what I've learned in 6 years of marriage and 4.5 years of motherhood. But, right now, my classroom is my kitchen and my students are ages 4, 2, and 1. I've never been busier; I've never been more tired; and I've definitely NEVER BEEN HAPPIER.
Amen, Sister!! We have lived on one income for 20+ years with 3 kids plus caring (in our home)for my terminally ill mother for 2 years. IT CAN BE DONE. It makes me sick to see so many tiny babies dumped in day care so people can have the boat, the big-screen tv, and the "guilt" gifts/vacations to make up for the time not spent with their kids. It's not how much you make, it's how much you spend.
Hi Crystal,
I did not want to get too carried away in your comment section:)
I wrote a little more on the subject here.
http://farmhomelife.blogspot.com/2007/12/need-or-greed.html
Take Care,
Trixie
You are always such a breath of fresh air. I feel the same way you do and my husband and I are currently trying to make it so that I can stay home. Unfortunatly I have some school loans we are trying to pay down before I stay home. I was just talking to a co-worker who is a christian about this topic. Her advice to me was to, "Just be happy and have debt. That is what being a grown-up is all about." I was very taken back. Everyone even Christians are here for what they can get rather than glorifiying God with everything we do. I beleive that is how you measure everything...Does it bring glory to God?!
Thank you for your willingness to speak up on this issue. My Hubby and I also live on a tight budget because we believe it is best for me to stay home with our son.
We have friends all around us who are putting off having kids because they don't believe they can afford them when in reality they make more than we do and the same goes for the Moms who work who yearn to stay home and yet say they can't afford to. Is it really they can't afford it or is it they can't afford to support their current standard of living?
I have learned so much this past year about frugal living and being on a budget because I am committed to staying home with Caleb. I have also learned a whole lot about contentment. When I feel frustrated or even "poor" I just quote "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." Works every time!
Thanks again!
AMEN Crystal! Amen.
Kudos! I completely 100% agree with you! Thanks so much!
Myra
Crystal, I love you and your blog dearly, but I think you are being a little too critical here. I agree with Lynn that a government-subsidized preschool program is a tremendous help to those low-income parents, ESPECIALLY single moms. It doesn't mean that people are going to throw their children to the government and start spending willy-nilly.
Not everyone lives in a wonderful little world like you do, with a husband to work and put food on the table so that you can stay home with your children.
There are many, many single-mothers out there that are doing everything they can for their families, and still need a little bit of help. They aren't living beyond their means, they are simply trying to survive and have a home for them and their children.
My sister is one of them, who is struggling by herself with a child on the way. She is honest and hard-working, just trying to create a life for her and her unborn baby. If a government subsidized program like this will help her and other women in the same situation, then great!
And, maybe it is harsh to say, but you have lived a relatively sheltered life. In a relatively inexpensive area. Try living somewhere else, where the cost of living is sky-high and it DOES take two incomes to make ends-meet. Many families struggle to put food on the table and pay the bills, and can't afford luxuries such as health care, let alone a stay-at-home mom, 3-bedroom house with a picket fence.
I don't know that subsidizing government day care is the best use of tax dollars. But I find it odd to talk about personal responsibility while discouraging women from supporting themselves. Women have historically been the sex more likely to wind up in poverty precisely of our historical dependence on men (who after all can die, become disabled, or run off). Isn't a woman who brings in her own income and nurtures her own future earning capacity (i.e. her resume) exercising the ultimate in personal responsibility? I am sure there are single mothers on welfare who would love to pull in a paycheck if only they had daytime care for their children.
P.S. Happy New Year!
Jacki: So you don't believe that personal responsibility is a good thing? :) That's the point of my post.
I know God has blessed us tremendously and I know much of that is thanks to parents who raised us to be wise financially and take personal responsibility. But that doesn't mean we've had a life of ease. Three years of living on a very small income while my husband was in law school was really hard, believe me. And then this past year my husband was unemployed for three months due to some very crazy and unexpected circumstances. Things were very tight again and were it not for lots of creativity on both of our parts, living below our means in previous months, and the blessing of God, we would have definitely not have been able to make ends meet. Instead of turning to the government - like many people urged us to do - we prayed and put on our thinking caps. And God was faithful to see us through another difficult seasons and we were once again reminded of how important it is to live below our means and save all we can because you never know when lean times might hit again.
I know there are many more difficult situations then ours and I don't have all the answers for sure, but I do know the more government steps in gives handouts, the more people learn to rely upon government and the less they learn to take personal responsibility.
I would also like to respond to Trixie's point that couples don't need a dual income in order to have a happy and marriage. I actually think a dual income can contribute enormously to a happy marriage. I have known a lot of couples -- including religious Christians -- who resent each other precisely because of their different roles. Husband doesn't feel he is given his due as the one who brings in the money the family lives on. Wife resents having to clean up after husband and serve him his food. Husband feels that wife spends the money as fast as he can earn it. And on and on.
I don't mean to imply that traditional marriages can't be happy -- but (from where I sit) it looks like it would be a lot harder. Sure, there are times in a two career marriage when you are both dealing with job stress and both partners can get a little snippy, but at least you can empathize with what the other person is going through, and your stress doesn't seem to be related to what the other person needs from you. Wife contributes to paying the bills and husband knows that he needs to put his own dishes away and do his own laundry.
We live on one income, in a trailer, have one car, and homeschool our 15 and 12 year olds. We use the minimum health care from my husband's job; take good care of our health and our teeth. There's no room in the budget for a picket fence, but we have a good, good life.
Our bills are our mortgage, car payment, food and electricity.
Where are all the "bills" coming from that people are talking about?
Where are all the "bills" coming from that people are talking about?
Our bills in addition to mortgage, food, and electricity:
Health insurance
Life insurance
Student loan payments (unwise, yes, but a reality nevertheless)
gas for car
medication
We make it work (because of God's provision) on one income but it is not easy. Sure, some people's other expenses are "wants" but some people have legitimate expenses that exceed food, clothing, and shelter.
When it comes to these issues of who can and can't make it on a one person income it really comes down to faith.
If a woman has no confidence in the soveriegnty of God, no belief that His word is true and the absolute best and that in whatever He directs a person to do, despite how much or little we have, He will care for us, then whatever she does will seem to her to be an impossible, find-someone-to-blame, I'm-gonna-have-to-take-matters-into-my-own-hands, situation.
But if a woman has faith. That is, if she's heard God's word concerning her as His child and her role in revealing Himself as a woman and wife and she believes it, though the circumstances may seem impossible, she will always see the miraculous provision of God and be at peace.
I wonder if Mary would have been able to believe the impossible and place herself in such a vulnerable, submitted, yet full-of-faith position if she had of been offered a right to abortion, government subsidized health-care and child-care so she wouldn't need to depend on Joseph and take care of herself. But even if those things were available to her, if she simply just believed the Lord's impossible promise to deliver through her the Savior of the world, she would have still seen the fulfillment of her faith.
The point is, let government do whatever it wants to, let the person who says they are a Christian, obey God and believe HIM and stop looking to anyone else or themselves to fix their situation... It's high time we who call ourselves Christians just simple trust and obey and let the Light shine. Others will see God's provision, and maybe they will cry out to Him too.
Vote, yes! Pray, yes! yes! yes! But more than anything, just continue Crystal, and all of us who believe the Lord, to make, "supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:1-4)
Happy Feminist: You'll notice I didn't say anywhere in this post that women are not supposed to earn money. I don't find that notion in Scripture - which, as you know, is my Guidebook.
However, I do believe that a wife or mom who is putting a job or ministry or anything else above her home and family is not glorifying the Lord. Sacrificing husband, home, and family on the altar of career is always unBiblical.
But, does that mean a woman can never earn money? Not hardly. I believe a wife and mom should be highly skilled as an economist and should be constantly looking for ways to bring the outgo down and, when possible, the income up. She should be seeking to honor and bless her husband by wise stewardship of the family's financial resources.
In this me-first, individualistic society, we've lost sight of what the family unit is all about. The whole family should be working together as a unit - with the father at the helm - for the financial good of the whole family.
I'm not sure what Hillary's plans would be for universal Pre-K as I could not stomach actually watching the video but here in Florida Universal Pre-K is awesome! It started 2 years ago and I (as a mom who used it and a public school teacher) cannot even begin to put UPre-K into the same categories as food stamps, cash assitance, etc.
First, everyone qualifies in Florida there are no income guidelines. Second, parents choose the pre-k provider. When my youngest was 4, I chose a privately, Christian-owned providere where I knew what the specific curriculum would be. They opened every day with prayer, prayed over their lunches, and sang and read Bible Stories. Third, I have seen through my own eyes the benefits my daughter received. She is reading 2 years ahead of grade-level and is 3 years ahead in math. Of course, God has blessed her in these areas and not all children would have the same results. But, education is the way to end poverty for many families in my county. I see the effects of the cycle of poverty everyday with the children I teach. Giving every child the best start possible, learning to read, and enjoy school is one of the best ways my goverment can spend my money.
With the way Florida has set up UPre-K with parental choices, I count it among the privileges I receive as a tax-payer such as police and fire protection. I in no way see it as a handout or a cop-out for parents.
Just my two cents,
Angie
Happy Feminist - in response to your second comment: As I've said in the past, a marriage that is built on a foundation of putting the other party first is always going to be happier than a marriage built upon the feminist foundation of "me first."
And as I posted in my comment to you above, I would argue that the scenario you portrayed of a woman just spending the money as quickly as a husband can make it is not the picture we're given in Scripture of a Godly wife. Instead, I would posit that a Godly wife (after the model of Proverbs 31) is a very hard-working, monetarily-savvy, entrepreneurially-minded home-economist who is always looking for ways to further the family budget.
For sure, any marriage relationship that is filled with resentment is not being lived after the Biblical model, no matter whether the woman is a stay-at-home wife/mom or not. A Biblical marriage is one filled with love that overlooks faults and warts, a love that gives and gives and gives again, a Christ-like love that says "my life, for yours."
Crystal I agree with the points you made about living on one income, I've been married for 26 years and have always been a stay at home wife and the first 12 years were spent while my husband was in the military.
I wanted to address the pre-k issue though. When I was growing up in a very rural area there was no such thing as pre-school. There still is no preschool in my hometown. Kids stay home until they go to kindergarten. So even if you choose to send your kids to school, they stay home with mom until they are 5 or 6.
Contrary to popular belief, preschool is not necessary to a good education.
As for low income parents who wish to send their kids to preschoo for free there is already a program for that, it's called Headstart and it's free for all low income families and families with children with developmental disabilities. So there is really no need for universal pre-K.
Great Post!
I wholeheartedly AGREE!!!
I think this is a very touchy issue, and I think some people have been too quick to apply it to their own situation rather than others who might benefit. As someone else already said, you're not forced to send your child to pre-K; it's an option.
In a perfect world, everyone would have loving parents who could provide for them emotionally and financially. The truth is, there are a lot of economically disadvantaged parents and a lot of physically and emotionally abusive parents. A pre-K system gives these kids, who have nowhere to go, a place to be nourished and provided for. Instead of criticizing a system that you don't personally need, you should be thankful that there is a system for these kids who often get lost and neglected. Not everyone has parents, friends, or a church that they can fall back on when times are hard. Not everyone can easily find a job that provides adequately for their family. Sometimes, a family has tragic accidents that require them to obtain extra income, and therefore put their kids in a safe environment.
You can make arguments that welfare doesn't work, but education? I'm sure people who homeschool are upset when their methods are criticized, so please don't be so quick to point a finger back at the other direction.
I also think you have to honestly ask yourself, are you criticizing the program or the person who is endorsing it?
WOW!! WOW!! WOW!! I wholeheartedly agree with Crystal.
I have been married 9 yrs now and only 2 months into our marriage I began searching online and reading books about Frugal Living and Couponing, as my DH and I knew that once we had children I would be a SAHM and we would homeschool our children. We were blessed with our first child in 2002, 4 yrs into the marriage and by then I had the frugal living and couponing system all worked out and we would be able to survive on 1 income. We then had 2 more sons in the following 2 yrs.
There have been times of struggle, but God has pulled us through those times. DH has gone through a couple times of unemployment in our 9 yrs of marriage, but God has sustained us.
I myself know of some woman who say "I don't need to work, but I want to work because it gets me out of house" They are putting themselves before God and family. There are others whom if they really looked over their expenses vs. income, they will see they are in the red due to having a 2 income household.
I am very content living a frugal life and I am about to embark on a new mission in 2008 of doing some activities at home that will help me earn an income from home. I also agree with Crystal, that it is not unbiblical for a woman to work. They need to put God First, Family second and themselves third. Our church actually encourages moms to be a SAHM/WAHM.
Thank You Crystal for such a wise post.
Melissa said, "You're not forced to send your child to pre-K; it's an option."
Not yet, but it would just be a matter of time. The compulsory aspects of education have grown and increased over the passed 100 years or so. Following the same pattern, it wouldn't take long for pre-K to become compulsory, just like kindergarten became. Kindergarten wasn't required when I was young, and those who did attend had to go to private kindergarten because there was no such thing as public. The earlier the government can get its hands on our children, the earlier it can begin indoctrinating them, which suits the government just fine.
Also, we must ask ourselves what the biblical purpose of government is. To provide national defense, yes. To restrain and punish sin through the civil code of law, yes. To train up the nation's children, no. To provide for every need every person has from cradle to grave, no. Our government has drastically overstepped its bounds from a biblical standpoint and taken over many of the activities that belong to the Church. Sadly, the Church has been too willing to give those activities up, but we need to begin reclaiming them, and a good place to start would be in the support of single mothers.
I agree, Crystal, that as a nation we've gotten used to the government doing everything for us. We don't take responsibility for ourselves. Just today I was reading an American Federation of Teachers magazine (gotta keep up with the opponents! LOL) and there was a woman who wrote in asking who's going to take care of us if the government doesn't? Families and churches, that's who.
No, I don't live in an ideal world either. I stay home with my kids and it's a struggle financially every day, but I wouldn't have it any other way. But I tell you what, it wouldn't be such a struggle if the government let my husband and me keep more of our hard-earned money to pay our own way. Last week while visiting my mother, who is Canadian, I was flabbergasted to learn from her that when she was a child (she's 77now) the government sent her family a check each month for each child to cover the cost of clothing, school supplies, etc. Why not just let the families keep their own money and decide how best to spend it? That's the nanny government for you. Right now, sales tax in at least one province of Canada is 18%, according to my mother. And that's just sales tax! How is universal pre-K here going to be paid for? You got it~~with more taxes. Somebody's got to pay for it, even if they don't ever use the program themselves.
End of rant. ;-)
I just want to raise an aspect of this that hasn't been addressed yet.
Other people have mentioned how this isn't aimed at we women who are fortunate enough to have the financial means and the leisure time to read blogs. I know a lot of people have mentioned their financial hardships, and Crystal I've read your blog for a long time and I know the great faith you've faced financial difficulties with! But we need to remember that there is another world out there, a class of people with NONE of the very real advantages we take for granted. Seriously. There are literally thousands of children whose parents are drug addicts, or dying of HIV, or homeless. HUNDREDS of thousands. To them, this debate is very hollow.
Similarly, there are people - illegal immigrants, for example, who are often vilified by politicians but are struggling children of God nonetheless, and whose children deserve the same chances at life as other American kids - who might pull in less than your $800-1000 a month together. I know many, many families through ministries in my city who are tied to New York by jobs and extended families, and here, $1000 a month does not go far. It barely pays rent, and transport? Forget it.
THESE are the families free preschool would aim to help. The idea is that severely disadvantaged kids might be slightly better off than if they went nowhere until they were 4 or 5.
I know home isn't "nowhere" for a girl like Kaitlynn or my little girls, but for thousands and thousands of kids, it is. Home is where mommy injects herself with drugs, brings home strange men, and forgets to fix dinner three nights in a row.
The other aspect of this is - how many desperate young girls, pregnant and abandoned, want to keep their baby but are faced with NO help from society to do so? I don't think this help should come from the government, but the fact is that it's not coming, or not enough is coming, from anywhere else. And if just one poor girl were to hear that her baby would qualify for programs like food assistance and free preschool, and choose life because of it, honestly, I think that's a really good use of my tax dollars. In fact, I can hardly think of a better one.
I agree with you, but I also would like to say that some people who end up using programs from the government really have no choice.
I am a firm believer is in anti-government programs. I am totally with you!
But then my husband ended up with a severe brain disease which made him not work for years, he ended up in a hospital for 6 months before being allowed to come home. The only way he could come home was if we had medical to pay for the medication he would need to prevent his brain from further damage. Without it, my husband could not live with us.
We had friends and church people, but we are all living on tight incomes. They helped with physical things so that I have never had to take welfare or food stamps ever, but we had to take Medicaid so that my husband could live with us. His medication is over $1500 a month.
He is disabled and is only able to work restricted hours and is now eligible for Medicare.
So, I hate it, but because of the outragous cost of healthcare, inability of insurance companies to cover someone with this condition, we have no other choice but to take what we can, thank God for it and pray that He does not judge us for it.
One thing i did want to ask is why do you feel that it is a wise use of your money to rent rather than buy?
The only people I have ever met who were out of debt where a morgage was concerned was when they bought a house, re-sold and bought again and so on. My grandma was not well off, yet because of this was able to leave each of her children when she died a fairly good inheiritance.
This post has been removed by the author.
I didn't take the time to read through all the comments already on here (though I did glance through), so if someone already said this... sorry. :)
I love what you said Crystal! I fear though that some may come back with a "what about those of us who weren't raised the way you were" kind of remark. Not all of us were lucky enough to be raised in the home, learning the things you learned, being trained to live the way you talk about here. I know I wasn't.
In response to that, I want to say, since I wasn't raised/trained in this sort of life style, IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO LEARN! I was not raised to be a stay at home mom. I wasn't even raised to put Christ first, or to love my husband ahead of my children. I took it upon myself (as can all of you) to learn these things, to study Scripture, and to do whatever research and learning necessary to become an entreprenuer, a homeschool mom, or whatever.
Just thought I'd add that thought. :)
Thanks for the post!
This post has been removed by the author.
I doubt that Crystal would disagree that some people need help when it comes to situations such as people needing medications.
The drug companies need to be regulated. No person in this day and age should have to go without medication because they it is so ourageously over-priced. As a society as a whole, we have come to rely too much on government programs. Yes, some people need some help. But we need to learn to be more self-sufficient. Like we were (as a society) many years ago. Look at the Amish society. I live near an Old Order sect. They rely on one another. Not the government. Somehow they exist in our crazy world. They must be doing something right.
(By the way, one of the reasons I enjoy reading your blog is that even when you don't agree with people, you reply in an intelligent and calm manner and I appreciate that! You don't see that much online, and I think it says a lot of great things about your character.) by Lyn
This is so true. Thank you!
For those who are really poor, there is Head Start. Someone already mentioned this, but I just wanted to say it again. (Where I live, it can start as early as 3-- and it's not hard to get into, from some of the people I know who are in it.)
I just wonder if the government programs really help more people than they hurt? Do they cripple the drive for people to succeed and become independent?
I am against universal pre-k. Our state offers it, and now they want to make preschool for 3 YEAR OLDS mandatory! NO WAY! I live in Oklahoma and it the most lenient homeschool laws in the country, so I don't have to send my child.
I had more to say, but my family needs me, so I guess I better go and take care of them first!
We are one of the families that could not make it without some government assistance. It's not that we aren't trying, because we are. My husband is now disabled. We have two children who are being homeschooled.
I have a heart condition. I work from home making some money, but not enough to support us. I do everything as frugally as possible.
We have one car and it's paid for. We do have a house payment, a LOT of medical bills, utilities, and medications that must be paid on a monthly basis.
I don't like that we qualify for government assistance, but it does help us a lot. Our girls qualify for WIC. We also receive foodstamps--which I also hate taking. We also qualify for help with our utilities during the winter. Do I like the government assistance? NO! Do we need it? YES! We are really doing the best we can with our circumstances. We are creative and try thinking outside the box whenever possible.
I might be able to go back to work part time but it would be very, very difficult with my heart condition and other medical problems. However, we feel my place is at home. I need to be home to take care of my girls AND my husband.
In a perfect world, I believe our church would help us and not the government. Very few people know we receive government assistance. Part of the reason we don't ask for help from our church is because I don't want people judging us any more. Why is it that Christians can be the most judgemental? (That's just my opinion, of course.)
My husband hates that he can't provide for us as he feels he should.
I guess my point is that there are always exceptions. Sometimes there are no alternatives than to accept some government help.
Donna
AMEN!
I know that there are people out there who truly need services that the government provides (though I'd like to see charitable help move out of the government and into the private sector). Unfortunately there are many people who are in trouble mainly because they can't tell the difference between wants and needs.
My husband lost his job in October, and we've been skating by on income from two part time jobs for the last few months. If you buckle down, most of the time you can make it work.
Wow, Crystal, great post.
And to all the bloggers commenting here, nice job of making your point without flaming out on Crystal.
A thoughtful discussion all the way around.
My two cents: before driving a compulsory program down the taxpayers throats, there should be a hard look at Head Start and how they can improve that program for those who really do need the gov't assistance in sending their children to pre-K. Why reinvent the wheel?
Also, one commenter mentioned that her experience in FL was positive, that she was able to use a Christian pre-K school with a very Biblical curriculum.
Having lived in FL for 2.5 years, I know first-hand that Christianity is strong there. But extrapolate this program out across the entire USA; does anyone think (like I do) that we parents would still be able to pick "Christian" schools?
Before this would pass as legislation, the ACLU would tear it apart and leave only "state-approved" schools, ones lacking in any faithway at all, for us parents to use to fulfill their "mandatory" pre-K edict.
That, my fellow bloggers, is what's scary to me, a mom who believes strongly in Catholic education and the right of any and all parents to choose the best education possible for their children, whether public, private, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, homeschool...what you as the responsible parents deem best for you and your family.
We don't need the gov't intruding into the family unit this way...it's always a slippery slope downhill.
Good post, Crystal. :)
Marianne at Writer-Mommy
AMEN!!!! I couldn't agree with you more, Crystal. Our generation has been raised and conditioned to believe that we "can't do it" without 2 incomes. I look back at my parents-- my dad was a full-time seminary student for the first few years of their marriage, and yet my mom never worked outside the home. My dad went to school during the day, and worked in the evenings. And you know what? They trusted, and God provided!! And those were truly some of the best years of our lives.
I wholeheartedly agree that people need to take absolute personal responsibility and stop relying on the government. And that changes in Washington do indeed start with individuals and most important of all, families.
(As an aside, Vision Forum has an excellent audio CD presentation, called Defending the Fatherless, on the church's responsibility to care for single mothers and help to support them so they can stay at home and train their children. Very well-presented and worth listening to.)
Humm..this is complicated to me. I totally agree that the mojority of married individuals can live on one income and sucessculyl homeschool. I know several single women who are able to homeschool, but they also have higher-than-minimum-wage paying jobs. With one such mother, there is no father to add support but yet she is able to do it.
I completely agree that we were brought up with the credit card/unsecured debt is not only normal, but necessary. We found ourselves falling into this horrible put and struggle everyday. I am still a SAHM who homeschools and my wonderful husband is now working 2 jobs to take care of our situation. He works in a factory during the day and runs his own business at home on the weekends and nights (He rebuilds/customizes hot-rods). He would love to give up his daytime job and just have the one in the evening but, until we get our unsecured debt paid off, no such luck :(.
On the other hand, I think gov't programs can come in useful to those who need it. Am I against anyone who uses it and truethfully needs it? Absolutely not. Take ourselves for example, we were on WIC for quite a long time and were on food stamps for about 6 months. All 3 of our kids are on medicaid as well as our own insurance. While we do still qualify for food stamps and WIC, we choose not to take it. Our kids do still have medicaid. Even if we didnt have any unsecured debt I am not sure f we would be able to afford all of our medical bills on our own (the biggest reason we got into debt to begin with). With someone having a surgery every year and then add in $100 per kid (thats after our regular insurance, and yes, times that by 3) for asthma, allergies,and other issues it really adds up. My kids medication alone would take up 1/5 of our monthly income.
Angela
Hmm. I agree with what you're saying, Crystal, for people who are able to pull it off. To whom much is given, much is required. And I think there are many, many families out there who could pull off living on a single income if they wanted to... but they don't want to, or they don't think they can.
But I agree with other women here who are encouraging us not to look at this through such narrow eyes. There are so many women in this world who do not have all the privileges that we do. It is easy to say, "Well, I made it work, and it was hard," but not all women are blessed with godly husbands who are willing to work hard. Not all women are blessed with children who are healthy and happy. Not all women are blessed to have been Christians most of their lives and have things like this figured out.
I think we need to be very sensitive in setting up ideals and then making them mandatory, when they are not specifically in Scripture. Family is a priority, but so is church, and so is ministry and evangelism. And for those of us who are blessed enough to have Christian husbands and the opportunity to stay home, that's wonderful, and it's great to encourage other women with the same privileges to seek the same thing.
But we just have to be so careful what language we couch in it, lest we make our dear sisters in Christ feel as though they are less than us because they do not have the opportunity to do the same.
Great, Great post!! I have been wanting to write on that as well but had not gotten it done yet. I feel incredibly blessed to be able to stay home with my kids but I also realize that it is a choice we made, one that requires some sacrifices but is so totally worth it!!
i agree with lin that some mothers do have to go to work, but I'd like to point ou that full-time daycare is not the only option for these families.
grandparents, or other God-fearing people you trust are often willing to step in, adn there are possibilites such as job-sharing.
it may require creativity, but i think almost all of us could find a way to avoid subjecting our little ones to being looked after in institutions full-time
This post has been removed by the author.
I just read Donna's comment; her situation is so similar to ours . . .
On December 16, 2005, my husband was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, an incurable, although treatable for a time, cancer of the blood AND kidney failure. Long story short, my husband is now medically disabled. He simply doesn't have the stamina to hold down a job anymore. And although our children have now graduated from homeschooling, for me to go to work would be very, very difficult, not only because I have to care for my husband (not as much as in the first 18 months of his illness, though), and accompany him to appointments (very important since he has a difficult time keeping things straight), but I am also chronically ill. It takes all my energy just to keep our household going.
What makes me mad is that, although Phil paid for disability insurance, we were forced to apply for Social Security disability, and once approved, the disability insurance cut their payments to us. If that isn't enough, mid-year Phil will be forced by law to go on Medicare because he is on dialysis. There is absolutely nothing we can do about this!
It makes me sick to have so many hard-working people in our country supporting us, but we have no choice. And the whole Medicare thing - we are both livid about it. Especially since we are already paying for private medical insurance for our oldest daughter plus the premium for the rest of us. (What's another $100 out of our pockets every month??)
Thank God we are debt free and that we have investments we can tap into if needed. And I am thankful for women like Crystal who encourage me to be more frugal and show me how. At the same time, it is important to look at each family's situation before judgment is passed. Sometimes, due to no fault of their own, they become dependent on the government. How much better, though, if churches took on the responsibility of caring for their people so that in situations like ours, there could be less government dependence!
Reading all your comments, it makes me glad our family live in Australia.
* Every woman here who gives birth gets a $5000 Baby Bonus ( an incentive to increase our birth rate), regardless if you are working or not.
* If you are working, you get 12 months maternity leave ( in some professions such as mine, up to 2 years, some of which is paid).
* Health care is paid with our taxes- it's called Medicare and everyone is entitled to it, rich or poor. A hospital visit or stay is FREE. So are doctor's visits if you find a bulk-billing doctor.
*Our medication is under a Government PBS Schedule, meaning that the max we get charged is about $20 a prescription or about $6 if you are unemployed.
* When it comes to working mothers, every family is able to get a fortnightly payment from the government called Family Allowance, which cuts off after a certain level. ( For example, the cut off for 2 children is $120,000 combined income ). *The majority of Aust. families get this payment and if we CHOOSE to stay at home, the non-income earner gets a second payment on top of the Family Allowance, that provides extra income (which is also income tested).
* If you choose to work, the government pay approx 50% of your child care costs .
* The average worker (blue-collar or white -collar) get 4 weeks annual leave a year and some professions (such as myself, in the medical field) get 6 weeks annual leave a year. After 10 years service in the same job, you get long service leave, which in my case is 16 weeks leave on top of your 6 weeks annual leave.
The impression I get of America , is that everyone is chasing the dollar. Any welfare payments from your government, people are either ashamed to receive or angered that the needy get help. Women should have a choice to either be a working
mother (with the support of the government & society) OR to stay at home and homeschool (with the support of the government & society). It works in other countries (such as ours), so why shouldn't it in yours!!! When it comes to election time, ALL of America should come out and vote and have a say. Not only some people. Maybe then there might be hope for a change.
This is my first comment on this blog, and I just wanted to start by saying that I love it! It is a big source of encouragement and ideas, and the discussions are very thoughtful and polite, even on difficult issues like this. I apologize in advance for the long post; brevity is *definitely* not my forte either ;-) And I really apologize if anything in my post seems ridiculously obvious.
I concur with what others have said about our tendency to spend too much and not save enough, and I think there are other factors as well. In particular, I think we have forgotten our obligations towards one another, whether it is towards members of our families, communities, churhces, or all of our fellow human beings. It is usually because of the failure to fulfill these obligations that the government must step in (and, in some cases, the failure to fulfill our obligations is in turn exacerbated by government action). It is always less than ideal, since a distant, uncaring bureacracy doesn't come close to comparing to a real person who has ties to you, and since peoples' needs so often go beyond the purely material. But short of a major cultural change in which social cohesion is strengthened and traditional relationships (with their attendent obligations) are restored and renewed (within families and communities as well as within businesses), which I hope and pray for every day, I'm not sure what the solution is. I would hate for anyone who needs help to fall through the cracks, which would probably happen now.
I'm not sure though if universal pre-k is the answer, especially since it would take more money away from families on single incomes who are struggling and could use the extra money to care for their own children, rather than paying for what would essentially be free day-care for many couples who could afford for the mom to stay home. I agree with others that it would probably be more wise to stick with Head Start, as it is a program that is used by people who really need it.
In response to The Happy Feminist's posts: indeed when a woman stays home she is making herself more vulnerable, but, in my experience and I'm sure in the experience of others, that vulnerability and that trust can strengthen a marriage immeasurably. And there are ways women can protect themselves financially should something happen-furthering education/training, getting a good life insurance policy, etc.
Also, I think traditional roles, because they are the most consistent with our telos, or our purpose, and our design, as men and women, are actually most conducive to human happiness and flourishing. For example, finding and preparing food and using it to nurture others is something very deeply rooted in women (it is probably the reason we have a better sense of smell). Being the ones to do this, and not having full time work outside the home, allows for more time and energy to devote to it and to really make it an art, and also benefits the whole family by this and by allowing more time for meals, which is a very important bonding experience for us very social creatures. It adds to health and happiness in immeasurable and measurable ways (I remember one study that showed that children who ate meals with their families on a regular basis were less likely to get into trouble). When both people work outside the home, it is (understandably) more tempting to by a prepackaged meal that can be prepared and eaten quickly, or to go out; the ritual of preparing and eating food, and all the good that comes with it, is then lost; there are many more such examples aside from food, such as nuturing children, creating a home and providing hospitality, caring for others in the community, and providing support and encouragement to husbands. And as to the issue of resentment, perhaps some of it comes, as Crystal mentioned, from a self-centered outlook, whereas traditional roles should always be other-centered. Mutual self-giving can have an incredibly powerful impact on a relationship, and indeed experience (and studies) has shown the altruistic marriages are the happiest.
I just wanted to comment on womanofthehouse post who said that kindergarten in compulsory. It's actually not universally required. Maybe in her state it is, but in New York, the age of compulsory school attendance is six and children are only required to attend from first grade on. There were some rumblings to make the age five, but as far as I know that hasn't happened yet.
Of course, everyone DOES send their child to K and many to pre-K as well or at least some kind of daycare or preschool.
I do agree that it is a slipperly slope.
As a former public school teacher, my objections to universal pre-K are more at the "that's way to young for formal education level" than the funding level (though that comes into play too). There are some schools around here that offer five-day, FULL-day PK programs. Unless a child is being raised in a family that is not giving the child any attention, and he is never exposed to any kind of daily life then there is no reason for that. And frankly, that's why PK was established. For very low income kids who weren't getting any kind of enrichment at home. Their parents weren't reading to them, they didn't have any opportunities to interact with other people, etc.
Pushing kids into full scale academic programs with "standards" and "milestones" so early is really not developmentally appropriate, in my opinion. Some children may be ready to read young, some may not. Some kids (one or two, lol?) may be ready to sit still for long periods of time everyday. Classifying those who learn differently as "behind" at such a young age is unnecessary and dangerous. Then we get into the overdiagnosis of attention problems, etc. in normal kids (espeically boys) who just aren't programmed to be still and quiet six hours a day. That's another topic, though, and really I have so many problems with our educational system from PK right through post-secondary that I'd better stop.
So, now that we've discussed it, what do we do? As Christians, what can we do to minimize these government programs? Instead of thousands of poor families, single parent homes, and neglected children relying on these programs to survive, what do we do to help them?
Should we lobby for our churches to step up and identify members of our church who are in unfortunate circumstances, and urge the rest of the congregation to help?
For the thousands of Christian immigrant familes who have very little knowledge of English, should we take their children into our home and homeschool them, along with our kids?
Less talking, more doing. Let's think of ideas to remedy this situation! What are some ideas?!
:-)
Aisha
Aisha: I'm glad you asked. :) This post is actually going to springboard into a year-long campaign I'm doing on Money Saving Mom to encourage families worldwide to live on less than they make and take personal responsibility for their finances. More on that in a few days.
For our family, our solution has been to live on less than we make and try to be wise stewards of our money so that we are able to save and give to some of the poor and needy families we know. We are also seeking to train and raise our children up to take personal responsibility and be wise stewards. In addition, my desire through this website and Money Saving Mom is to not just say I think it is best when mom stays home or that we should take personal responsibility, but to teach people with practical ideas and help how to actually *do* this and *live* this. Like I said in my post, I believe it's a matter of a lack of knowledge and training in most cases. And I aim to help etch away at that. I don't just want to give out fish, I want to teach people how to fish.
I'd love to hear from others on this, too.
Crystal, perhaps you could elaborate on the personal responsibility thing. Yes, I think most of us agree with you along that line, but there is another area that you did not address so much: My personal responsibility to those around me.
(Before I say anything, please know that none of this comment is meant to attack you. I love your blog and you have been a tremendous blessing to me. I'm just trying to address the issue at hand)
I agree with you that the more assistance is handed out, the more dependent people become. We can see this with the government as well as with the church (i.e. so-called "rice Christians"). The government should (and often has) become creative in the WAY they hand out assistance--using a need-based sliding scale, etc. We often bemoan the welfare system, but I think the view often raised of whole towns living strictly off of welfare is a bit out-of-date. In California (I live in Colorado now, but had a healthcare job in CA and am more aquainted with "the system" there) it was increasingly more difficult to draw a welfare check unless you could prove you were (a) truly disabled (b) in school to learn a trade or (c) actively looking for a job. Of course, there are always loopholes and no system is perfect, but I for one applaud the government's efforts along that line. It is important for the government to help people get back to a place of PERSONAL responsibility by helping them get back on their feet (helping with community college fees, helping with childcare while single mothers go to work, etc), instead of just giving handouts that make people dependent. I think it is helpful when they do NOT make things completely free, though (like Universal Pre-K), as this makes people have to work to get ahead, and to at least CONSIDER options like staying home with their kids.
Sometimes in our criticism of government assistance, we forget the person in the middle: the child. Yes, it WOULD be wonderful for all parents to take responsibility for their actions and take care of their own children, but in the meantime, what are the millions of children whose parents DON'T going to do? Who do you think is more likely to be a caring parent (who may consider homeschooling or being a stay-at-home mom) in the future: a child of a drug mom who is left to their own devices all day everyday (leading almost certainly to drugs, teenage pregnancy, etc) or a child that at least goes to government after-school programs and government assisted daycare or pre-k? When my husband was a youth pastor in Los Angeles, almost the entire youth group was kids whose parents did not know or care where they were day or night. We can (and should) bring those parents to task over their responsibilities, but in the meantime, what is the right thing to do for the CHILDREN???
It has become a Christian national past time to be negative about EVERY government program. I think instead we ought to practice more thankfulness and more charity. I grew up overseas for nine years, and I can tell you we have SO much to be thankful for. Despite issues like abortion (at least they are ISSUES here, not ignored), there is an incredible value for human life and general feeling of responsibility for you fellow human being that IS absent many other places. Americans might be known the world over for being hard-headed and arrogant, but they are also known for their generosity and giving spirit. Let's not cut that off here in our own country! Government programs are precisely why we do not have hoards of dying children in the street. Our ancestors worked very hard back in the 1800's to implement reforms for the poor and destitute and mentally ill. Let's not throw them out now in a spirit of Christian arrogance.
Charles Dickens, a great reformer in the 19th century, wrote in A Christmas Carol: " 'This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want. Beware them both, and all of their degree, but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is Doom, unless the writing be erased. Deny it!' cried the Spirit, stretching out its hand towards the city. 'Slander those who tell it ye!...And abide the end!'"
Personal responsibility...and responsibility to those around me who are struggling...
Phebe
Hi Crystal,
Of course I believe in personal responsibility. :-) I believe in a hand-up from the government, not hand-out. I believe government programs should be there to help people rise from their poverty and circumstances, not keep them in the circumstances, as many people on welfare are.
I agree with both Claire and Annakristine, that we need to remember that there are those less fortunate out there, where our beliefs, convictions and such do not have any meaning. And we need to be sensitive to them, not judgemental.
I just just got the impression that you were singling out the pre-K program, and saying it is worthless. It isn't. And it isn't meant to drive all of us stay-at-home moms into the workforce. It is meant to give assisstance to those children who do not have a good start in life to begin with.
One of the reasons I read both your blogs is that I love the Christ-centered, home-centered, money-saving themes.
Thank you for that!
Crystal, thank you for writing so articulately and wording your thoughts so well. Not much to add, I can only offer my support. :o)
I really admire your stand on this subject, Crystal. My husband and I think that there are way too many unnecessary government programs.
A lot of people on these programs don't need to be on them if they cut back on other areas. Do you know how upsetting it is to me that some people will get free food, but can somehow afford to send their kids for music lessons??? What? We live way below our means. We have to pay out of pocket for everything because we have worked hard for it. I know some couples who have no problem opting out of their company's health insurance to save money and go on the state's. This just isn't honest. Then they go buy nice cars and go on vacation. What???
I was asked point blank what would happen if my husband was laid off and I replied that I would go back to work until he found another job. I would. You do what you have to do. I thought America was about making your own way?
It used to be a shame to accept government programs, but now people feel entitled to it. They don't use it as a last resort or for an emergency. They just take it. They are not creative at all.The government isn't very choosy about who they give money to, either. Do the recipients REALLY need it?
Personally, I think early education is a waste of time. Thank goodness, kindergarten isn't even required in my state (Each town decides if they can afford it). Kids at this age just need mommy and daddy reading and playing with them. Are kids any smarter since we have this early education? I don't think so.
Overall, people need to be responsible for themselves as much as possible.
One thing I have ran into in my town is that when there is a government program in place to provide something, many times you CAN'T pay for it out of pocket if you choose to.
My daughter needed speech therapy. Her peditrician refered her to the early intervention program for testing and subsequent speech, occupational, and physical therapy.
My husband and I wanted her to attend a play based program for speech therapy and wanted to pay out of pocket for it. The private company would not accept us, even though we were willing and able to pay for the therapy, because it was not part of her early intervention service plan. Her coordinator later added the play based program to her plan, and she benefited greatly from it.
So, we were willing to pay for a service for our child, but the company would not take our money! They would take our daugter and the county's money, but not our own.
Surely we saved a lot of money through the early intervention program and my daughter's delays are all caught up now, but I find it ironic that we could pay, and were willing to pay, but private companies would not let us pay.
She benefited a lot from being in early intervention and 90% of the therpay was done in our own home, which was great. The therapists and coordinators were all wonderful people who cared a lot for our family,and have become true friends, but we felt bad because we could have paid. We just had to justify it in terms of getting some of our own tax money back. ***Sigh***
So, another look at government programs. I'm not against programs like head start or early intervention because children really do benefit so much from them, I just find some irony in the fact that access to services from private companies is often limited to those in those programs.
One the subject of universal pre-K, I hope it is not mandatory. Sure, a couple mornings a week of a nursery school program could be a good thing if parents choose that for their children, but three and four year olds do not need to be in school full time.
Interesting discussion!
Crystal,
I like what you said about teaching how to fish :) This has been on my heart for months, and while I do not have any clear direction about what to do with it yet, it troubles me that so many are just lacking knowledge in the area of finances and living simply. In our recent local newspaper, a young family were interviewed that are currently living in a homeless shelter (a dad, mom, and 3 young children). During the reporters interview, they had discussed that they had just returned from having dinner at McDonalds because that was all they could "afford". They also added this was their only meal that day. I felt so frustrated by this, thinking that this meal cost about $20 or more and how much they could have done with that money if they were taught how to use it properly! I have been seriously considering offering a class to teach others how to cook frugal and shop smarter at the supermarket...but I am still praying about this one. I look forward to the unveiling of your yearlong campaign. Maybe it will give some sight to my little vision :) God Bless!
Anonymous in Australia--you didn't say what your tax rates were! Ouch to those who are paying the majority. Most of us posting don't WANT the government to tell us what to do with our money. It's not theirs, it's ours. Taking it and redistributing it the way you explained sounds too close to socialism. Everyone in America has an opportunity to go as far as possible. I don't mind my taxes going toward anyone who is disabled or widowed/orphaned. It's when we teach capable people or people who have made bad choices to expect or search for a handout instead of working for it is when I make sure my vote counts.
Crystal, I completely agree that as a nation we have got to take even more personal responsibility. Raised by a single mother who somehow put herself through undergraduate and Masters degrees with hardly any help from family, etc - I know it is HARD work but anything is possible.
Right now, we are seeing an example of not taking personal responsibility with the staggering amount of home foreclosures. Too many Americans are lax about their finances and readily accept debt as the solution. They bit off more th