Car, phone, insurance, rent, groceries, gas, school, textbooks, utilities – these are all things we will find ourselves paying at some point in our lives.
For some, they may never have to pay a dime for any – or most – of these until they graduate college.
Some until they start a career or get married.
If you throw a rock on a college campus, almost anyone it hits still has at least one or two of these bills paid for by their parents. Being college aged, it’s not uncommon to receive financial assistance from parents. There are so many things to pay for and sometimes a college student budget can only cover so much.
What many of these kids fail to realize though is the assistance they receive makes them privileged. The more your parents pay for, the more privileged you are.
Money is the key to everything: it’s gets you an education, a place to live, ways to communicate, food, and any other necessity or luxury in life.
The less you have to pay for, the less you worry. It means the less you have to budget, stretch a dollar, or worry about having the most basic things.
Being supported by parents means not having to worry so much. It’s easy to walk into an apartment fully stocked with food, using an expensive phone with a large data plan and not think twice about where it came from.
Kids who pay for certain bills like rent or groceries are always aware of the hundreds of dollars they have to take out of their account every month.
They are aware of the fact if they eat too many breakfast meals for late night snacks, they might have to skip eating in the mornings until they can afford more cereal on the next paycheck. They are aware of the fact if their phone drops, they’ll have to live with a horribly shattered or malfunctioning screen.
Even if you are aware of what you are given by your parents, it’s so easy to live a life without certain bills. It’s easy to forget that other people don’t get that break.
I am grateful for the support of my family. I am grateful to have a phone with a plan, and to know that if things get really tight, they’re there to help me. I am aware that I am privileged to have their support.
Next time a parent pays a bill or covers a fee remember that you are privileged to be a part of a family that can financially support you. Be thankful for their assistance and never take it for granted.
You should never feel bad for being supported, but always remember that everyone’s situation is different.
Remember the privilege you have.
