Questions for BT parents

I pretty much say the sme thing as Jim. 

Mommy and Daddy go to work to earn money to pay the bills so we can eat and live in a house and you can watch tv and bla bla bla bla bla bla and grow up to be a Conservative Republican just like Jim. 

In addition to making money for survival/creature comforts, we tell our girls that we work to do our part in the world, that we have an obligation to contribute in a constructive manner to the world around us.

They're young, so they get the "helping people" viewpoint easier than the economic viewpoint.

Our son understands that we have to go to work so his grandparents (free child care) have more time to spoil him.

Umm...

Because the culture is a bit loopy. It values what a mommy produces more than her role as the primary nurturer and educator of her child...

(maybe best save this until the child is 17 )

Don't make me give my hippie commune speech...

Just making sure you are awake!   

Aww common...I dig hippie commune speaches...

Thats funny, I was the same way when I was growing up. I would ask my mom how come I wasn't lucky like all the other kids that got to go play at day care after school! "How come I can't go THERE and play? Why do YOU have to pick me up?" Ha! I've made sure to tell my mom repeatedly that I appreciated what they provided for us, got to help with homework and take us to extra curriculars.

Right, I'm with you on that.

(this is the first time I've used the sarcasm font - what a freeing experience )

Maddie and I had a similar late night conversation, but phrased a little differently.

Daddy, why do you and my mommy have to work?

"Why do you think?

She pauses, looks up for a minute and says "...so you can buy things?"

Condensed:

"Wrong. If we don't pay the monsters under your bed every week, thay will take you away, eat your toes and sell you to gypsies and I'm not sure if I paid them this week. Now go to bed."

The next day: "Do Gypsies have princesses?" 

"Yes, but they have all their toes."

Big smile. Kids are pretty smart. I find if you let them explore their own feelings and help facilitate that exploration on matters like this they get it, plus I want my daughter to trust her own reasoning and judgment. It doesn't work all the time, but I suggest having a conversation with your child about why he or she thinks people work aside from the maids comments, perhaps explainging that may be why the maid works, but not necessarily why you do, etc.....  

Look at Big Don, cutting loose!  Next thing you know Jim will be teaching him how to glue Birkenstocks back together. 

i agree that you should tell a 7yo that the money keeps you off the street.  i think that sends an oversimplified message of why people are on the street to begin with.

the real answer is to pay the maid :-) JK.  i usually try to explain to my kids the reason is economic.   we need money to pay for things like their soccer gear, ballet lessons, ski gear and of course - kid tri-gear.  they get that suprising well.  it's a fine line though, the last thing i want to convey is that my working = free stuff for them.  but i think they already figured that out.

I'm a single father with not 1, not 2, but 3 jobs (1 full, 2 part time).  Little Billy is 7 and is at that age where he wants to be with daddy all the time.  My ex told me yesterday that he had to do a little questionnaire for his second grade class.  One of the questions was, "When are you the happiest?"  His response (to his mother), "When I'm with my dad." 

I recently changed careers and took a much less paying full time job so that I could move closer to my son and his mother, hence the part time jobs to make ends meet.  I'm very lucky in that my ex and I are very good friends and work together with all things regarding to Billy, and even some use each other for support in our respective personal lives.  As such, I know that my relationship with my son is nurtured in my absence through the support that his mother has for his relationship with me.

Despite all I have going on, I mange to have him with me 3-4 nights each week.  The times he asks me why I have to work at night, I simply tell him because it costs a little bit more to live here in south Miami and I would rather work more and be closer to him than to work only one job and only see him on the weekends.  He gets that and agrees by saying, "OK daddy, make lots of money at work tonight"

As with all things, parenting is unique to the parent and as such, I never criticize or judge another's means unless it results in obvious harm to the child.  Rather, I simply share my experience which others can try on to see if it fits them and their family.