School and quitting

by shera 34 Replies latest jw experiences

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  dins

  Shera,

  Take advantage of the education that is offered to you and don't be in a hurry to be an adult...believe me, that will come whether you want it or not. Four years of college may not be for everyone, but there are trades that you can look into that don't require the grades, time and money. It is simply not enought to have your GED nowadays. My advice to you would be to visit your guidance counselor and discuss what your options are and DO NOT LET talk of impending Armegeddon doom and gloom hold you back in any way. If I had taken that seriously, I would be a 35 year old waitress, tired off her feet and haggard instead of the profession I hold today with very good wages.

  Good luck to you and keep us posted.

  Diana
• 

  Elsewhere

  It's up to him... just how comfortable and easy of a life does he want?

  No or limited education = manual labor and menial jobs and low pay. He will also have difficulty in paying for a house or apartment and will, in all odds, end up in a dwelling that most people would find objectionable. He will only be able to afford a car that is constantly breaking down.

  
  If he does not mind living like that... then more power to him! It's his life... just make sure he knows that I won't be giving him any handouts just so he can continue living a life of self destruction.
• 

  Sara Annie

  Now I'm embaressed..I spelled school wrong in the topic!

  hate to bring it up, but you also spelled embarrassed wrong. That is why I always try to spell check before sending.

  And 'quitting' for that matter.

  First, I would find out why they hate school so much. Is this an academic problem, or a social problem? If an academic roadblock exists, there are numerous resources that are available to remedy it. If it's a general lack of ambition and ability to follow through, I might suggest looking into some mental health resources. If the problem revolves around a social situation at school, I would attack that head on--sacrificing your education to a problem unrelated to coursework would be immensely foolish.

  I would tell them in no uncertain terms that the lack of a high school diploma will absolutely be detrimental to their future in this. A person who drops out of school's earning potential is dramatically lower than someone with their HS degree (or equivalency degree). There is no way to sugarcoat the fact that if you drop out of school, you have drastically fewer opportunities in this life. Do a web search on earning potential for high school dropouts if you don't believe me. As a professional, if I had the choice between hiring a dropout and a high school grad for an entry level low-skill position that both could adequately perform, I would NOT hire the dropout. Their lack of ability to follow through with even the lowest level of educational achievement would be a signal to me that they were not someone I could count on. Harsh? Maybe. True? Absolutely.

  Part of succeeding in this world is being able to deal with unpleasantness. We all have days we hate to go to work or school, but we do these things because the alternative is a life without achievement. (Reminds me of a great Drew Carey bit where he says: "You say you hate your job? There's a support group for that, it's called 'Everybody'. They meet at the bar.")

  And to anyone tempted to post something detailing the successes of various high school drop outs should save their breath. These 'successes' are few and far between, and nothing more than a pipe dream.
• 

  franklin J

  I agree with NewYork44m

  We come from a religious group which discourages education! Woa! That in itself is limiting! Why do we want to limit our children? I suppose I feel very strongly for higher education. Aside from being more "marketable" in the work force; education in itself broadens us as individuals. I believe it should be ongoing. And I try to practice that by keeping an open "progressive" mind. Despite practicing architecture for 20 years, I continue taking accredited college classes.

  My experience has taught me since leaving JW ( approx 20 years) that without higher education your life will be far more difficult ( unless, of course, you are self employed or independently wealthy). Nothing wrong with either of those options. But if I was independently wealthy I would still send my children for higher education.

  I left JW at age 21 to pursue an education and career in Architecture and have NO REGRETS.

  Aside from the social aspect your child will benefit from in college years, the degree he or she will attain will be invaluble to them as a young adult when they market themselves in life. A four year education at an accredited college can be applied to and will be respected in any job.

  Our childrens generation has far steeper competition than our generation or previous. Any edge we give them will be helpful.
• 

  shera

  hate to bring it up, but you also spelled embarrassed wrong. That is why I always try to spell check before sending

  LOL!!! and quitting? I'm a mom in distress,let me off people!
• 

  shera

  Thanks for the replies everyone.

  I do,I do have my grade 12!!
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  lisaBObeesa

  My young BIL wants to be a Frito-Lay truck driver because it is a 'great job' that pays $20 an hour and has some bennies. They won't hire him because he has no HS diploma. He can't get a job as a Frito-Lay truck driver...because he dropped out. That is all I have to say.

  -LisaBObeesa
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  Islandboy99

  Do whatever it takes to keep your child from quitting school... If that means bribing them, so be it.... I feel almost nothing is more important than knowledge.
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  shera

  Thanks everyone,keep em comming please and thankyou!
• 

  freedom96

  Somehow the child needs to learn the value of a dollar, and how far it actually does not go these days. If they want any sort of lifestyle later in life, they must finish school. Otherwise, they will have to settle for very little, with little or no hope of attaining more.