I have one of those memories also. I was describing where I grew up but it is very much like where i grew up today. I grew up in Cherry Hill NJ which has 2 sides – east and west. I grew up on the east side. Zip code is 08003 and in case you are wondering the median income in 2008 was $122K. Its a very nice suburb about 15 minutes outside Philadelphia.

Along my travels I picked up a BS with 2 majors – accounting and economics. Had a CPA way back when. Went back mid career to get an MBA and then MS in Financial Management. I’ve worked in corporate america and made alot more money than I do now. I made a conscious decision never to miss a single thing my children do if possible. That was my choice and I am very happy with it.

You just view things from a perspective very different from me. Here is an example: My grandparents (and those of my childhood friends) immigrated here and lived in ghettos. They gave up everything for their children to get the best education possible. They never asked for anything in return and their joy came from seeing their children have a better life than they did. Our parents did the same for us and we will do the same for ours. We value education above all else and being a suspension tecnician at Sears while a noble career for some is not what we aim for. We were raised not to do well but to do the absolute best we were capable of. Attending less than top schools because they all teach the same curiculumn is not what we do. Saving a few bucks by doing the first 2 years at a community college ands then transferring to a university is not the way we do things. We want the best schools and we pay to live where they are because we have seen the difference it makes to be immersed in that kind of environment. While you obviously love your children very much, you seem to take your responsibility to them as pointing them in the right direction and letting them find their way while becoming independent. There is nothing wrong with that and its much better than most people do. However, I want more for mine and do whatever I can to make that happen. My ancestors had alot and it was taken from them. We have been taught not to take things for granted and our goal – No make that our responsibility to our ancestors is to make sure the next generation has a better life than the previous one. We sacrifice alot but that is what we value.