I had lunch today with my daughter’s girl scout leader and as we were talking about the trials and tribulations of raising teenage girls, I mentioned that Erin said she doesn’t want to go to college, “I want to get married.” While I’m all for marriage, the statement opened a conversation about how it’s important to get an education in order to have the ability to take care of yourself if things go bad.
My friend said she got married at the ripe young age of 16 and because she had no skills, she spent years in an abusive relationship because she didn’t have the means to escape it. My own sister had a long, happy marriage but she lost her husband to cancer seven years ago. Since that time, she’s struggled to make ends meet with low-paying jobs. She is now working at a university where she can take college courses at no charge and is working toward a degree.
What can we do to teach our daughters that an education and a marketable skill are important? We have to keep telling them that it is likely they will have to depend upon themselves alone and they must be prepared to do it. We have to keep telling them to get training, take classes, and earn degrees so they can earn a living wage. We have to make them understand that they have to have the ability to stand on their own two feet and not always depend upon someone else. We have to make sure we are willing to sign for a college loan so they CAN go to college if they don’t have the scholarships or silver spoon to pay for it. We have to tell them they are smart, brave, and talented so they will have the courage to go it alone when necessary.
Tomorrow: Is Your Teen in an Abusive Relationship?
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