Amen about college. I homeschooled mine with college prep in mind although it was not required of them.
I told them work hard, save, get good grades, and do things that get you access to grants and scholarships. We signed for student loans with the understanding that the student would pay them back (some risk, sure, they could get severely ill or have an accident, then we’d have to pay).
My perfectly happy kiddos went on to a BS in physics, an EMT certificate, a BS in Computer Science, a BA in English Lit and a cosmetology degree.
I never paid a dime. I did support them with free housing, food, utilities while they did community college stints.
We went on no real vacations and went out to eat maybe twice a year. Well worth it.
And they all vote properly oh yes they do my fellow FReepers.
“America’s overall fertility rate has been about 2.1 births per woman, which is barely replacement level. For conservative Protestants, including Evangelicals, the number used to significantly higher, at 2.7. Today, that has dropped to 2.3.”
Ok this is good y’all but we can do better.