Slate

A good example of a family doing it right

A good example of a family doing it right

Whether you’re a student or a parent, I’d really like you to take a few minutes to read an article by Melody Warnick, “I Killed my Teenager’s Fancy College Dreams. You Should, Too.” It was on Slate a few weeks ago.

Warnick explains that she and her husband decided to “scare the hell out of [their daughter] about taking on student debt.” Their scare tactics worked, and their daughter—a current high school senior—has only applied to a few colleges she’s confident they can afford without taking on any debt.

One of my Five Foundations is to talk to your family about money, soon. And this family gives a fantastic example of why it’s important and how to actually do it. Let me highlight the things I especially love about Warnick’s approach.

Don't forget your summer reading!

Don't forget your summer reading!

I was an AP Lit teacher for nine years, so I have fond memories of summer reading. I always read everything I assigned to my students, every year. So I did the summer reading along with them (or at least a few of them. I'm not naive, most of them didn't do the summer reading). 

You've got, more or less, a month left of summer. If you haven't completed your assigned summer reading yet, now is the time. You must read your summer reading assignments.