skeeter
New Member
Maybe it's the way I was raised and lived my life, but I don't get jealous of others.
My dad only graduated 8th grade. He had to quit school to take care of his mom and brother (this was pre-WWII, he'd be 94 if he was still alive). He had the intelligence to be anything, he could build anything, he loved reading - he just didn't have the chance to go to college to become an engineer or archeologist or any of the other things he would have like to have been. Instead he spent most of his life working in heating and airconditioning, sheet metal work, and did a stint as a custodian at a middle school. He was one of the most intelligent persons I've ever met.
I knew I didn't want to go to 4 years of college right away, plus we couldn't afford it (this was in between the time dad was laid off from sheet metal until he got the job at the school). I went to a 2 year college, got a job, then went back to evening college to get my 4 year degree (work paying for it).
I don't look at "success" as having a 4 year degree and a high paying job. I've always said my goal is to raise self sustaining adults that give back to their community. I don't care if they dig ditches, if that's what they want to do.
My oldest decided at age 12 he wanted to be an aircraft mechanic and has lived his life that way. He was a member of Civil Air Patrol, then went in the Navy. Because he had to wait for his wife to get to a certain point in her schooling, he has just this past week started school on the GI Bill for air craft maintenance.
My youngest hasn't a clue what he wants to do. He thought for a while he wanted to be a chef, and worked for one of the premier chefs in our city, but 80 hour weeks burned him out. He is currently making gelato and is the only employee of a 2 man operation. He lives in his own apartment -has since he turned 19. He keeps saying he'll start college eventually - but with his ADD it needs to be something he wants to do.
My dad only graduated 8th grade. He had to quit school to take care of his mom and brother (this was pre-WWII, he'd be 94 if he was still alive). He had the intelligence to be anything, he could build anything, he loved reading - he just didn't have the chance to go to college to become an engineer or archeologist or any of the other things he would have like to have been. Instead he spent most of his life working in heating and airconditioning, sheet metal work, and did a stint as a custodian at a middle school. He was one of the most intelligent persons I've ever met.
I knew I didn't want to go to 4 years of college right away, plus we couldn't afford it (this was in between the time dad was laid off from sheet metal until he got the job at the school). I went to a 2 year college, got a job, then went back to evening college to get my 4 year degree (work paying for it).
I don't look at "success" as having a 4 year degree and a high paying job. I've always said my goal is to raise self sustaining adults that give back to their community. I don't care if they dig ditches, if that's what they want to do.
My oldest decided at age 12 he wanted to be an aircraft mechanic and has lived his life that way. He was a member of Civil Air Patrol, then went in the Navy. Because he had to wait for his wife to get to a certain point in her schooling, he has just this past week started school on the GI Bill for air craft maintenance.
My youngest hasn't a clue what he wants to do. He thought for a while he wanted to be a chef, and worked for one of the premier chefs in our city, but 80 hour weeks burned him out. He is currently making gelato and is the only employee of a 2 man operation. He lives in his own apartment -has since he turned 19. He keeps saying he'll start college eventually - but with his ADD it needs to be something he wants to do.
