Inadequate

This morning we have a locksmith out replacing our car key for a whopping $250. We lost the key Friday night, and though it's in the house somewhere it's just not realistic to go without a car for any length of time, especially with the price of gas and having to drive Brando back and forth to work. We've only had one key since we got the car five years ago, so it was bound to happen sometime.

Talking to the locksmith we had an interesting conversation about the cost of kids rising as they get older. SO TRUE. I realized this yesterday when thinking about the cost of band for Justinbustin coming up this school year. $25-70/month for the instrument are you KIDDING me? The locksmith started off talking about his 15 year old son who wants a car as soon as he turns 16. He told his kid pretty much good luck with that. You can share mine, but I need it when I need it, or we can buy a $200 fixer-upper. The kid, of course, wants something that runs and looks cool. All I was thinking about was Justinbustin is already counting down the days til he turns fifteen - three years to be exact. Then, this locksmith guy just informed me that dance for girls is ridiculous. He said they pay $500/costume for three one-night performances a year. *jaw drop* Seriously?! We're practically paying a college education for these kids on sports and extra-curricular before they are even in high school.

On the flip side, though, the reason I want him to do these things and thus come up with the money to do it is so they'll WANT to go to college. So they'll see all these opportunities out there, stay motivated doing them, and actually have the desire and the motivation and the follow-thru to go to college.

This cost of everything really scares me, though. We hardly have the money to pay for anything now. How are we going to have it then? Starting this business is one way, and I pray it goes through the growing pains and blossoms into more than sufficient income in three years, because I don't want to be in this spot in three years. I want to be able to match the income Justinbustin makes to buy him his own car. Heck, I want to be able to buy him his own car, but still have him match the amount or even buy his own. I want to be able to help get him started with college. Oh, man, I really need to think about this, and start putting him on the path of paying for his own college if that's the route we are going to go. Any parents ever gone bankrupt/ruined due to paying for their kids' college? I definitely don't want to be in that boat. I want to be able to afford it, but then teach him how to go and pay for it as well.