Get your own paddle

There is a story in today's Chronicle, "without a paddle"
This is a story every kid needs tol read, not to feel sorry for the plight of these people but instead so our kids don't repeat it.
You see the lesson is that everyday you make the choice to be successful or to put your future in jepordy.
The story talks about two 42 year olds and a 19 year old son (of the mother) who are living in a boat.
the man is working but only brings in $200 plus after taxes and the payment child support, the other is getting $430 in unemployment. It can be imagined that the son is not bringing in any financial help, causing the mother and her boy-friend to have to spend more.
It seems that thbe individuals became unemployed a while back, her last fall and for the man it doesn't say. They have lived with others and now live in a boat.
The question to ask your kids.
Can this happen to you?
How do you budget your money to prevent this?
What kind of cost will your future have?
Who's job is it?
What would you do if you found yourself unemployed?
What do you do if you find yourself in a low paying job?
If you were bringing in $600 a month how would you get yourself out of the whole?
If you found yourself in this situation and you had a person not financially contributing what would you do?
What places could you go to get help?
My answer to them would be, this could and will likely happen to each and everyone of us.
I would make sure my needs are met first and follow that by only getting wants that don't overwork my budget.
I will show them that they will have certain bills but also they will have the annual or by-annual increase in cost for things like insurance , auto repair and medical emergancies.
Understanding that the job belongs to the business and you only occupy that slot.
If I found myself in that position I would rework my resume, go to the library to submit my resume on line(or do it at the work force center or home).
What would you do if you found yourself in a low payng job is easy, continue to put your resume out there and try to find better. Don't be happy with just getting by and be as thrifty as possible.
with as little as $600 a month I would room with anyone, I would make them glad that theyhad me as a roommatd. My goal as stated above would be to get into a better position to improve my life.
I would not support a person over 18 who doesn't work to improve their possition, that person would have to be out on their own.
I would go to the library to read the paper to find jobs as wll as knock on every door I could, if it came to feeding myself I would go to every church.
there are so many more answers and mine might not be the best, but I try and have always tried to not make the mistakes that will ruin my life. This is what we must teach our kids, think about your future everyday if you actually want to have a good one.