Jogeephus
Well-known member
#2 is about to graduate and will be attending med school this fall. After he left the seminar on the virtues and political correctness of male emasculation he was approached by the US Army and they made him an offer to pick up all his tuition for med school. They also offered to give him a sizeable signup bonus, cover all his costs for room and board and pay him a decent monthly salary while he is in school. After his second year of med school he will be required to go through a 45 day training course and will then become a first lieutenant but at graduation he will be promoted to captain. In return, he will have to serve one year for each year of med school but all these years will count toward his retirement. On the present course, this will mean he will spend the next 8 years in college and then serve another 8 in the service with at least one year overseas.
#2 wants to become a surgeon with hopes of going into cancer research which he has been associated with for the last two years and even has his name on a few things - in very small print. Not meaning to brag, but he is brilliant and even had something published before he hit his teens. He also has a good logical head on his shoulders with lots of common sense and he knows how to work and budget his time. He is also a very caring and good natured young man who is not going into this for money but to make a difference. He has a 4.0 average with duel science degrees in genetics and microbiology while also being a starting player on his college's soccer team where he received a full scholarship. He was also accepted in med school within three days at the first college he interviewed. So I think it is safe to say he is a good catch for any institution.
I know he has been concerned over how he is going to pay for all this stuff because I don't coddle my children nor have I shared with him the fact that I created a college savings account for him when he was born. I've put money in this account religiously even when it was hard for me to do so. But I always felt investing in my children was a good bet. But at my fault, he was unaware of the safety net I had under him so I can understand his concerns when he sees a possible mountain of debt on the horizon and how this offer might look very attractive to him since it will offer a quick fix to his financial concerns.
He called the other day with this news and wants my opinion. I told him I had to think about it before I gave an answer but I did tell him not to do anything till I got back to him and then I fessed up about the safety net. I think he was shocked, impressed and relieved with this news. Under any other circumstances I would not have done this for I think its important for young birds to not see the net. They just seem to fly better IMO. But the last thing I want is for him to do make a decision out of perceived necessity or fear when he has other options.
Now that I've bared my soul with my personal business, I'd like to ask some opinions on this so I can smoke it over good before we talk again. I really have mixed feelings about this offer. On one hand, it would be great because the savings account will remain untouched but I don't want my own personal "greed" to sway my advice toward something that might be good for me and not for him. I've already made the sacrifices that were necessary for this so investing in him is pretty well a done deal and I consider the money spent. But then again, not having to spend it would be great because I know how hard it was to put this money aside especially during those times when I couldn't heat the house and could hardly pay the light bill.
On the other hand, you just can't beat a government job and he will be able to retire when he is 41 with a great pension, health insurance and other benefits. He would also be young enough to pursue his research interests, open his own practice or do just about anything he wanted and have the money to do it. Also, there is no telling what other doors a government job could open.
But then again, he shares my opinion of the government and that government can sap your creativeness and initiative so this might just kill his spirit and he will not be allowed to grow into the great doctor he is capable of becoming. I don't know. But on the other hand, 8 years of service is a small price to pay when you consider it's taken me a lifetime to build this savings for him and I'll still need to add more before it is over with and then there is #3 – "the bug" who is in the top of her class and will be attending college shortly.
It is really a hard call. I just want as much information and thoughts to give him so he can make the right decision for HIMSELF and not something that is convenient for ME. What do you think?
Sorry for the long post but I wanted to give as much information as possible so as to get the best input from you people.
Oh, BTW, he didn't make many friends at his the recent emasculation seminar but he did get some respect and a few nods from a few of the professors and attendees. One professor said you can't argue with idiots. Of course one person stood up and yelled at him and said that maybe with his masculinity he should be able to go to Chicago and keep them from closing a few high schools that are slated to be closed and merged with other schools. How this had anything to do with anything neither of us could figure but it was evident that this person felt strongly about the issue.
#2 wants to become a surgeon with hopes of going into cancer research which he has been associated with for the last two years and even has his name on a few things - in very small print. Not meaning to brag, but he is brilliant and even had something published before he hit his teens. He also has a good logical head on his shoulders with lots of common sense and he knows how to work and budget his time. He is also a very caring and good natured young man who is not going into this for money but to make a difference. He has a 4.0 average with duel science degrees in genetics and microbiology while also being a starting player on his college's soccer team where he received a full scholarship. He was also accepted in med school within three days at the first college he interviewed. So I think it is safe to say he is a good catch for any institution.
I know he has been concerned over how he is going to pay for all this stuff because I don't coddle my children nor have I shared with him the fact that I created a college savings account for him when he was born. I've put money in this account religiously even when it was hard for me to do so. But I always felt investing in my children was a good bet. But at my fault, he was unaware of the safety net I had under him so I can understand his concerns when he sees a possible mountain of debt on the horizon and how this offer might look very attractive to him since it will offer a quick fix to his financial concerns.
He called the other day with this news and wants my opinion. I told him I had to think about it before I gave an answer but I did tell him not to do anything till I got back to him and then I fessed up about the safety net. I think he was shocked, impressed and relieved with this news. Under any other circumstances I would not have done this for I think its important for young birds to not see the net. They just seem to fly better IMO. But the last thing I want is for him to do make a decision out of perceived necessity or fear when he has other options.
Now that I've bared my soul with my personal business, I'd like to ask some opinions on this so I can smoke it over good before we talk again. I really have mixed feelings about this offer. On one hand, it would be great because the savings account will remain untouched but I don't want my own personal "greed" to sway my advice toward something that might be good for me and not for him. I've already made the sacrifices that were necessary for this so investing in him is pretty well a done deal and I consider the money spent. But then again, not having to spend it would be great because I know how hard it was to put this money aside especially during those times when I couldn't heat the house and could hardly pay the light bill.
On the other hand, you just can't beat a government job and he will be able to retire when he is 41 with a great pension, health insurance and other benefits. He would also be young enough to pursue his research interests, open his own practice or do just about anything he wanted and have the money to do it. Also, there is no telling what other doors a government job could open.
But then again, he shares my opinion of the government and that government can sap your creativeness and initiative so this might just kill his spirit and he will not be allowed to grow into the great doctor he is capable of becoming. I don't know. But on the other hand, 8 years of service is a small price to pay when you consider it's taken me a lifetime to build this savings for him and I'll still need to add more before it is over with and then there is #3 – "the bug" who is in the top of her class and will be attending college shortly.
It is really a hard call. I just want as much information and thoughts to give him so he can make the right decision for HIMSELF and not something that is convenient for ME. What do you think?
Sorry for the long post but I wanted to give as much information as possible so as to get the best input from you people.
Oh, BTW, he didn't make many friends at his the recent emasculation seminar but he did get some respect and a few nods from a few of the professors and attendees. One professor said you can't argue with idiots. Of course one person stood up and yelled at him and said that maybe with his masculinity he should be able to go to Chicago and keep them from closing a few high schools that are slated to be closed and merged with other schools. How this had anything to do with anything neither of us could figure but it was evident that this person felt strongly about the issue.
