Do you think your children will be better off than you?

[kransden]

I was talking with a friend. She feels our children won't be better off than we are now. I just don't feel that way. I think, while I have had a lot of ups and downs, I've done ok and much better than my WWII parents. I see my dd being as well off, and having a good or better life than I am having. Unless she develops a mental illness or an addiction there is no reason she shouldn't be sucessful.

What do you think? Will your kids be better off?

ETA: I also mean mentally.

[brittone2]

I'm hoping their "better off" won't be material, but a generation more aware of work/life balance, more clear priorities, less consumerism, etc. I think it is amazing how much people my age feel entitled to accumulate all sorts of stuff our parents never had, but rack up the credit card bills and debt to have that feeling of being "better off"...but then no savings, etc. kwim? eta: DH and I are fairly conservative financially but won't hesitate to buy certain things that my parents would never even consider, kwim? The generational difference is interesting to me.

[sste]

I think financially speaking it is very unlikely our children will be better off than DH and me. Hopefully, I will do a good job and they will be better off emotionally and with respect to coping skills, etc.

[maestramommy]

Materially, I doubt it, unless they choose a high powered career for themselves, then marry another high powered career person. We're not particularly wealthy, but I think we're comfortable, certainly MUCH more so than when I was a kid!

Mentally, I don't think so either. Neither Dh nor I have any mental issues. Emotionally, I don't know.

[niccig]

Financially, no unless he chooses a high powered career. It's actually a concern of mine that we not set DS to expect certain things that he may not be able to afford when he is working. I've got a friend whose family have some money and she was very used to that lifestyle, but neither her nor her DH choose careers or education that could provide for a similar lifestyle. She is very bitter about what they can't do now.

Emotionally I think DS will be better off. He's not growing up in a household where people yell and scream and then hit when they're angry. Nor is he in a house where people don't show much affection to each other. We do hope DS has a better emotional life growing up and into adulthood.

[kijip]

Yes, in pretty much all ways. I grew up very poor, we have a lot more stability that that which will allow T and F more opportunities than I had. My husband grew up severely abused physically and emotionally. That is not part of our lives and how we raise our children.

I am an optimist and really do think the world is getting to be a better, and not a worse, place in many ways.

[Asianmommy]

I really hope that our children will be better off than we are now, but who knows what the future will bring?

[TwinFoxes]

Yes, I'm very optimistic about my kids' futures. I would feel sad if I believed they would be worse off. Raising kids is about optimism to me. I hate to sound dorky, but I really think they'll be able to make the world a better place.

[DebbieJ]

Yes my children will be much better off for so many reasons.

[ha98ed14]

I think financially speaking it is very unlikely our children will be better off than DH and me. Hopefully, I will do a good job and they will be better off emotionally and with respect to coping skills, etc.

This is me too. Exact same terms.

I will add that we (DH and I) are better off than his parents were at our age. (FIL did not have a career and floated from job to job.) But we are much less well off than my parents. Mostly that is because of career choice. My father is an MD/JD and DH is a teacher. But is also is because my father's family had the money to pay for his MD & JD, and DH went to a state school on a full scholarship. I got the expensive educations, but I am not using it to make money, just paying the debt service on it. I worry about what we will be able to give DD. DH had less than DD and he turned out quite well. I had more than we will be able to give her and I am struggling to find my niche in the world. So maybe that is where I lack: in the emotional resources/ coping skills that sste mentioned.