I have that bittersweet feeling all around me, as school has now started for everybody. Boy goes back to Texas State tomorrow. We still aren't sure about his living arrangements as the goof didn't take finding an apartment seriously enough during the summer. They do have a showing on Tuesday, so maybe that will solve their problem.
I say the only way out for you as Chubs had a sleepover on Friday and one of his friends got here a little earlier than Wife and Chubs, who were on their way from Crystal City. I asked him what he thought of his new school and how it was going and his response was "it's boring." I told him no, you have to be excited about school, think about it, if you were not in school, you might be working out in the fields or doing something horrible out in the heat. You have to treat school as a gift, you are being allowed to sit and learn instead of getting thrown outside doing something crappy for a few nickels. I don't think I made too much of a dent, but I know my kids think very differently of school. Chubs is not super excited about having to go to school down there, he did say he liked the DEAR program, which stands for Drop Everything And Read. He said since they haven't had a chance to go to the library, the science teacher was reading to them, and it was very interesting.
Studies have shown that even just getting a bachelor's degree improves the potential earnings of the student. The latest study in 2013 shows an increasing gap between college degreed and high school diploma, what used to be about $14,000 in the mid 80's is up to $17,500 for millennials in 2013. The study also shows that those with degrees are seeing unemployment rates of 3.8% vs. unemployment rates of 12.2% for those with just a high school diploma. Over a 40 year career, the college degreed will earn upwards of $840,000 than someone with just a high school diploma. These numbers alone should be inspiration enough for parents to make their kids make school a priority, yet time and again I see example upon example where school isn't even a topic people want to discuss.
Because we know what we know, we are being patient with Boy. He may end up taking six years to get his degree, but he is pursuing an engineering degree which itself should yield better pay, hopefully, in my pay range sooner than later. I have gotten into debates over this, but I could care less, a science/technical/engineering degree will and should make more money out in the real world. I am not saying other degrees aren't worthy, Wife started with a psychology degree which she followed with a master's in education, and now after sitting on that degree for about seven years, she is finally being rewarded for her hard work. My sister started with an English degree, followed that with classes to move up and is now Principal of the Junior High back home. Principals can and do make salaries near the $100,000 range, same as the position that Wife is doing as Director of Federal Funds, with a couple years experience.
So even if I am a little sad sitting here alone on a Sunday night, Wife will get her experience, and eventually get back to Austin, Boy will graduate and make us proud in a couple years, and Chubs is highly focused on his own, he already talks about being a geneticist, which might be a bigger field than it is right now, as gene therapy becomes more mainstream.
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