Situation 19:

Kevin’s Parents get Ready for Bed

It’s been a long day.

Let’s turn in honey.

Okay.

What’s wrong?You look like you have something on your

mind.

Well, another year and our son will graduateand probably leave

home for university.

Oh! I don’t even want to think about that.

Well, you had better start.That day will come before you know it.

Has Kevin indicated where he wants to go to school?

I have a feeling he wants to go to an out of state college.

Goodness! that means he will leave home and be all on his own.

Yeah, and it also means that his school expenses

will be twiceas high as in state school.

Are we going to be able to afford that?How are the

negotiations on that new contract at work coming along?

The city has decided to expand that section of freewaythat leads to the new

international airport and it looks like ourcompany is going to

win the bidding for the construction contract.

That’s great.But what exactly does that mean for you?

Well,it looks like my division will get the assignment and

it looks good for me to be in charge of design and engineering

Why didn’t you say something? That’s great!

I wanted to wait until I was more or less certain.

Anway,if that happens,we shouldn’t have to worry about

Kevin’sschool costs for the first year or two anyway.

What do you mean the first year or two?

What about the years after that?

I would like to see the boy work for park of his college

lifeand be responsible for at least part of his

school expenses.

I thought you said we wouldn’t have to worry about the

money.Why don’t we support him until he graduates?

You know we will make sure that he has the support to finish

university;that’s not the issue. I think it would do

him a lot of good towork part time to develope a sense of

independence and responsibility.

I know you are right, but I just can’t help but to feel

protectivewhen I think of my son living alone in a far

off city.

Don’t worry.He’s still our little

boy for another year.