I get it.
As long as one's kids are happy and healthy that's all you can ask.
I also think the college experience is somewhat overblown. I know when I went to college it wasn't like that, I had no play money and my parents were just as broke as me. My kid wouldn't have that college experience really either because while I'm not broke, I don't have the money to pay tuition, housing, spending money, etc. If he went to a 4 year school he'd have to work a job the whole time including summers, have an $80,000 ish bill waiting for him when he's done, and he doesn't want any part of that. I really applaud him for being concerned with debt at his age, and I always was afraid that he'd see all his buddies going to 4 year schools for this or that and feel the need to follow them just because.
He'll get 2 years of really good training for something he really wants to do, an associated degree in case he ever wants to get a bachelors degree, and no loans when he's done. The need for electricians is so great where I live that there are tons of places within driving distance that advertise paying off tuition if you go to work for them And in those 2 years he'll meet the same kind of friends he would at a 4 year school. Also, the way skilled trades get paid nowadays he'll have made WAY more money than I had by 44.
Everyone's different but my son wants to have a couple more years running competitively, and then get out in the world to make some money and buy himself the things his parents couldn't give him like a house, truck, hobby stuff. I can't fault any of that (as long as I get grandkids in the next 6-8 years
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