Younger workers everywhere

[bearishgurl]

[quote=yamashi][quote=BG]
The Regents/UC admission board doesn’t care about extracurricular activities in HS, either. Not a whit. An applicant’s highest SAT score plus HS GPA is the name of the game. And it doesn’t help that many thousands of deep-pocketed foreign applicants who are willing to pay the “full ride” will be his kids’ “competition.”

It’s a crapshoot out there. [/quote]

This is false for UC Berkeley at least. My longtime friend is on the admissions over there. That was probably more the name of the game before, but now kids have to differentiate themselves even more from competition. They want the smartest, leader with a good heart, cares about the environment, plays 3 sports, concert pianist, and good speaker.[/quote]yamashi, at current direction the UC is headed in (and has been headed in for the last few years), do you think all of that is going to matter to the UC Admissions Board ten years from now when your oldest is on pins and needles after applying for eight campuses (choices 1 thru 8) wondering where he/she will end up (if anywhere) and wondering if they should have simultaneously applied to 6-8 CSU campuses as well (just to be on the “safe” side)? Of course, this is assuming that he/she is qualified to apply to both systems.

[millennial]

[quote=bearishgurl]yamashi, at current direction the UC is headed in (and has been headed in for the last few years), do you think all of that is going to matter to the UC Admissions Board ten years from now when your oldest is on pins and needles after applying for eight campuses (choices 1 thru 8) wondering where he/she will end up (if anywhere) and wondering if they should have simultaneously applied to 6-8 CSU campuses as well (just to be on the “safe” side)? Of course, this is assuming that he/she is qualified to apply to both systems.[/quote]

I think we’ll figure it out when we get to it. Hell she might want to use the money I saved for her to start a business and be the sociopath on the top! Also I think in 10 years we’ll kind of know a little more about where she can realistically get into and cannot. Not sure what your point is, but if it is pro CSU I get it. Many of my friends went to community colleges and transferred to fantastic (according to US News) schools once they got out. Either way, only time will tell what they want to do. Personally, I would like them to start a business so I can have something to do once I get old.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=yamashi][quote=bearishgurl]
Lol, shoveler. I suspect he spends it on private school. If not, then “finishing school.” Umm, CA public HS’s (no, not even BHHS) aren’t exactly capable of turning out the typical graduate who knows how to walk it, talk it and groom it for the business world :=0

I’ve depended upon my kids’ Greek organizations to be their “finishing school” and so far, so good. This experience has also paved the way for being selected for their first jobs thru the networking they were exposed to while college-student members of their respective organizations. And no way were/are their annual dues anywhere near $4000 yr. They’re more like $1K per year, max (which my kids paid/pay with earnings from their PT jobs).[/quote]

Not sure what the hoopla is here. You asked some questions, and I gave you some personal answers to what it is like to be a millennial. I gave you my going rates to have someone watch a baby and a girl all day. You continue to argue that it’s too much, but that’s what I have to pay until I can get them to public school. It’s just what it is.[/quote]For much less than $3K a month, you can hire a young, certified “au-pair” from Sweden who is in the US legally. He/she will live in your spare bedroom, prepare your meals (incl having dinner ready when you arrive home from work), take your kids to all their lessons during the biz day, pick up your kid(s) from school (or walk them home), take care of your baby at least 50 hrs per week, and even do lite housework and laundry!

$3K month is way too much to pay for child care for two kids, imho, esp since you say you have a “flexible schedule” and you have one kid in school all day.

[bearishgurl]

yamashi, I’m not necessarily “Pro CSU.” Yes, it is a great system compared to other state university systems and has 23 campuses to choose from with varying program selection and which are located very diverse locations.

My kids didn’t take the right “curriculum” in HS to get admitted to the UC system so didn’t even apply. They were too busy “having fun.”

[The-Shoveler]

I don’t think the 95% spend that much.

They grip when they spend 50-100K getting their kid through college.

But they don’t spend 1.3K per kid a month at least the crowd I run with (call me cheap LOL).

[millennial]

[quote=bearishgurl]
$3K month is way too much to pay for child care for two kids, imho, esp since you say you have a “flexible schedule” and you have one kid in school all day.[/quote]

BG, Trust me we have looked at all options and have chose the one we have now for a reason. At first, we did the nanny thing and it worked OK for about 2 months. Looked into the au pair thing too, but it’s not as cheap as it seems because you have to pay for her meals, education (to maintain her visa), flights to and from training, etc. In addition, my wife really isn’t keen on the idea of having non related live with us.

Also, btw just having a flex schedule doesn’t mean I can work from home and watch them all day. I’m in my office taking calls and doing work.

[The-Shoveler]

That 1 Mil figure is probably closer to the whole package,
food, insurance, housing, college, etc…

After that Most are probably half that, a few are twice/three times that.

[skerzz]

[quote=FlyerInHi]From what I understand, $4,000 for 3 kids is about right.

$3,000 daycare and private preschool expenses will go away after the kids get older.

What’s wrong with spending money on your kids if you can afford it?

Nothing wrong with aiming high. Piano and language school are wonderful for kids. They learn best at a young age.

Why do you keep on pushing CSU? it’s the path to mediocrity. For example, CSU path won’t allow one to become a federal judge or supreme court justice.[/quote]

We had one child (1 year old) in a day care and the cost was $1,650/month. I agree that 3 kids for $4K month is about right (not overly expensive) for workweek care (6AM -6PM care, as needed , 5 days a week). Assuming 8 hours of care is provided per day (could be up to 12), that’s approx 480 hours of service per month (3 kids x 8 hours x 20 days) or roughly $8.33 per hour. Pretty reasonable when you consider that it costs about half that to put your dog in “doggy day care” for a day or what it costs per hour to hire a gardener to maintain your lawn. With our second child, we found it cheaper (and more convenient) to hire a live-in nanny that not only watches the kids, but also runs errands/performs house keeping duties.

I disagree that CSU is a path to mediocrity. My situation isn’t uncommon in my profession — I used my “mediocre” 4-year CSU education to gain employment at one of the largest international CPA Firms. I get a slight chuckle knowing my “cheap” CSU education landed me the same job as some of my peers that loaded up on student loan debt while getting educated at the more “expensive/elite” universities (USC, USD, etc.). This experience may be unique to my industry, but definitely proves CSU education is not always a guaranteed path to mediocrity.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=yamashi1][quote=bearishgurl][quote=yamashi1][quote=bearishgurl]A little “food for thought” here. For $45-$48K per year (a little less than what you are paying now for young kids’ care and activities), you can currently send TWO kids to CSU (different campuses) in URBAN cities in CA (LA and SF bay area) WITHOUT any financial aid!…[/quote]

I put enough money into their 529 plans each month to cover about that much per year in today’s dollars for them when they get older (assuming 3-5% compounded appreciation). Both grandparents have also set aside some money. Hopefully they don’t need it. I told them if they can get a free ride or other assistance, then that money is for them to keep.[/quote] Down the road, you could invest $600-$800 per course on 6-8 week SAT prep courses. THAT’s where the “rubber meets the road” in a child’s life. College admission boards DON’T CARE what your kid did in any grade before grade 9.[/quote]I will do that if they want to, but right now I just want my kids to be well rounded and be able to do things they enjoy. I want my girls to grow up with self confidence and strong self esteem. I feel that if they start young with this, then it will go with them throughout the rest of their lives. I try to also instill values like grit and tenacity so that they don’t give up easily and find ways to get around barriers. I’m not teaching them SAT stuff at this age. I’m teaching them values.[/quote]yamashi, I just saw this long post and cleaned up the hyperlinks so it is readable.

Individual and team athletics and performing arts (vocals, dance and theater) develop the attributes you are seeking in your kids. All the better if they can actually get the experience of traveling (out of their “home turf”) while performing. I will say that even if I was initially opposed to show choir and it didn’t help my kids get into college, it DID instill tons of self-confidence in them and also taught them “presentation” (even though “exaggerated” for the stage). Just something to think about here … your kid(s) could eventually “audition” for a part in their school play. At least your oldest can start off with dance instruction now. You can get a discount on the 2nd and 3rd classes after paying the full monthly fee for the first class (ex ballet, tap, hip-hop, modern). Then continue dance instruction but get voice lessons while she is still in middle school (in preparation to audition for a HS show choir). The one drawback is that a few weeks per year, show-choir duties can take up to 44 hours per week of your kid’s time (incl travel time), the organization frequently excuses them from class and they have to do their schoolwork on the bus.

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2010/apr/13/high-school-show-choirs-have-always-been-glee-ful/

http://www.showchoir.com/events/event.php?id=1790

It might be interesting to see early on if your oldest likes dance. Theater shoes are part of the basic uniform for girls in show choir and tap and jazz/modern shoes are required in many show choir numbers so your kid needs to have a dance background to qualify, especially to appear in soloist and small group appearances.

If you will be hell bent on coaching and coercing your kids throughout HS to qualify to apply to Stanford, participating in show choir is probably not a good idea :=0

[skerzz]

[quote=bearishgurl][quote=skerzz]There’s no way I’d plan on having 3 kids with 5-12 years age gap between them. You’d be looking at a minimum of 28 years of kids in the house. I may be biased given I have 2 under 2, but I’d rather deal with diapers, lack of sleep, etc while I am young. I’ll wait 2 more years before having one more, and my diaper changing days will be over before I turn 35. To each his/her own, but IMO having kids close in age is not an irresponsible act, nor is it something isolated to millennial parents. Perhaps it’s a generalization, that at best, can be applied to a certain street in a certain neighborhood within San Diego county.[/quote]I never stated it was “irresponsible,” skerzz. I stated that deliberately having 2-3 kids one after another (all single births) is a recipe for financial insecurity for the family in this day and age due to one parent usually being out of the workforce for several years so close to graduating from college, while their diploma is still “fresh” (assuming they actually did). I just haven’t in my experience seen any of these SAHP’s ever return to the FT workforce, even after their kids are teens and adults! In all practicality, it never happens. The “long-term SAHP experience” stunts a person’s ability to acquire their needed 40 quarters of SS to be eligible for old-age benefits in their own right while they are still young enough to get hired. They are also unable to participate in so many other workplace benefits, including being in line for promotions, vested into a pension program and participating in a funds-matching retirement program, etc.

It’s not about my street or neighborhood which is predominately senior citizen homeowners (but becoming less so every year). Large families with several minor children can be found everywhere, even in $1M+ areas. Oh, and we have two nearby Mormon Wards if that helps you understand things a little better, skerzz.

These millenial-family tenants are just a function of there being more available rental SFR’s around here now due to “flipper invasion” in recent years. SD County has a pretty thin selection of rental SFRs and the rents are more “affordable” around me because the typical rental house tends to be only 1100-1400 sf and we are not close to tech and biotech job centers.

Yes, no one understands it better than I do (maybe Donald Trump?) how many years (decades) it takes to raise a “spaced apart” family :-0

This is a good argument for why women can’t “have it all” but the truth is that they CAN successfully “have it all” but must be very careful not to have their kids too close together (or just have one child) if they expect to continue working FT without a hitch and not be an “attendance problem” at work after their maternity leaves are over. I DID have a co-worker who had 5 kids all minors living at home but she had SEVERAL relatives living on her street who were providing care for the children.

If a SAHP elects to depend upon other individuals in their lives (partners) to furnish their “retirements” for them, that could prove in the end to be a perilous proposition and I wouldn’t recommend adopting this mindset … especially for the degreed individual :=0[/quote]

I know several very “successful” women in my profession (high ranking partners at large international accounting firms) that have had successful careers while also having had multiple children that are very close in age. These women are not part of the older boomer generation, so maybe your misconceived perception is due to the fact that not many boomer women did (or could do) this under the old school “face time”/”seniority” above-all-else work mentality of the good ‘ol days. My wife and I are millennials and had children very close in age; believe it or not, my wife has been successful in her career. Employers seem to be flexible (flex schedules, maternity leave, etc.) with high performing employees/professionals as they recognize the “bottom line” value of top performers and that they need to offer employee flexibility to be competitive by attracting and retaining top talent. Perhaps this is due to the fact that younger are will to change jobs to get what they want/need (“if employer X doesn’t offer needed flexibility, that’s fine, I’ll go work for employer Y that does”). Time to leave the good ‘ol days and expand your narrow view on the way the world works : )

[The-Shoveler]

If your paying that much, more than likely for most people it pays for one parent to stay home (at least until they are school age).

At least it’s a write off.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=skerzz][quote=FlyerInHi]From what I understand, $4,000 for 3 kids is about right.

$3,000 daycare and private preschool expenses will go away after the kids get older.

What’s wrong with spending money on your kids if you can afford it?

Nothing wrong with aiming high. Piano and language school are wonderful for kids. They learn best at a young age.

Why do you keep on pushing CSU? it’s the path to mediocrity. For example, CSU path won’t allow one to become a federal judge or supreme court justice.[/quote]

We had one child (1 year old) in a day care and the cost was $1,650/month. I agree that 3 kids for $4K month is about right (not overly expensive) for workweek care (6AM -6PM care, as needed , 5 days a week). Assuming 8 hours of care is provided per day (could be up to 12), that’s approx 480 hours of service per month (3 kids x 8 hours x 20 days) or roughly $8.33 per hour. Pretty reasonable when you consider that it costs about half that to put your dog in “doggy day care” for a day or what it costs per hour to hire a gardener to maintain your lawn. With our second child, we found it cheaper (and more convenient) to hire a live-in nanny that not only watches the kids, but also runs errands/performs house keeping duties.

I disagree that CSU is a path to mediocrity. My situation isn’t uncommon in my profession — I used my “mediocre” 4-year CSU education to gain employment at one of the largest international CPA Firms. I get a slight chuckle knowing my “cheap” CSU education landed me the same job as some of my peers that loaded up on student loan debt while getting educated at the more “expensive/elite” universities (USC, USD, etc.). This experience may be unique to my industry, but definitely proves CSU education is not always a guaranteed path to mediocrity.[/quote]Thank you for posting this, skerzz. My youngest kid is currently at a CSU majoring in Business Admin – Accounting Option. ALL eight of the CSU business disciplines are worth majoring in, with finance and accounting the most “lucrative” majors, IMO.

Not sure you read this whole thread, but one of yamashi’s 3 kids is in school most of the day. He stated he is paying $3000 month for daycare for 2 kids. The other $1000 month is for “extracurricular activities” for the school-age child.

I have a longtime “doggy daycare provider” which I pay $25 for each “overnight.” She has regular “daycare clients” but I’ve never taken my dog to her unless I’m leaving town and my dog will live with her while I’m gone. So I don’t know how much she charges for Doggy Day Care.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=The-Shoveler]If your paying that much, more than likely for most people it pays for one parent to stay home (at least until they are school age).

At least it’s a write off.[/quote]That “writeoff” has limitations on how much you can claim, and, as I recall, the higher your household AGI, the less you can write off.

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i2441.pdf

It’s very possible that there are cheaper home-based daycare options available to yamashi but for whatever reason, they decided not to pursue them.

I had my kids in home-based daycare before they went to pre-K.

[The-Shoveler]

“home-based daycare”
I know one that was doing it for 600 a month for toddlers.

But it was not in San Diego.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=skerzz]I know several very “successful” women in my profession (high ranking partners at large international accounting firms) that have had successful careers while also having had multiple children that are very close in age. These women are not part of the older boomer generation, so maybe your misconceived perception is due to the fact that not many boomer women did (or could do) this under the old school “face time”/”seniority” above-all-else work mentality of the good ‘ol days. My wife and I are millennials and had children very close in age; believe it or not, my wife has been successful in her career. Employers seem to be flexible (flex schedules, maternity leave, etc.) with high performing employees/professionals as they recognize the “bottom line” value of top performers and that they need to offer employee flexibility to be competitive by attracting and retaining top talent. Perhaps this is due to the fact that younger are will to change jobs to get what they want/need (“if employer X doesn’t offer needed flexibility, that’s fine, I’ll go work for employer Y that does”). Time to leave the good ‘ol days and expand your narrow view on the way the world works : )[/quote]Yes, you are correct. The “technology” did not exist at that time for us to work remotely. In addition, nearly every employee (except a handful of unclassified heads of departments, etc) were “represented” and thus we were “hourly” not salaried. Up until about 1990, we actually punched a time clock (yes, even the “professionals”).

skerzz, I have been aware that millenials will “vote with their feet” if they can’t have the type of schedule they want from their employer. But what I have had a hard time understanding is why there has been so much age discrimination in hiring in the past ten years plus when boomers typically come in on time and leave on time, know how to dress and groom themselves for business, express themselves in a businesslike fashion on paper, in person and on the phone and don’t sit around texting all day. It’s mind boggling to me that employers would prefer the “prima-donna problem children” with black sparkle nail polish (who may be slightly pregnant but not telling anyone about it) and have an iphone for an appendage when they could have a very hardworking boomer with 30-40 years of experience and ready to work from day one with no training :=0

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