There is something interesting about how more and more people tend to make more money than their parents. Perhaps it doesn’t work that way for more affluent families, but given my parent’s meager income it didn’t take much for me to surpass my folks on the salary scale.
My first real job made double of what my mother does as a school teacher in rural Oregon. I remember the first time it occurred to me that I would make more money than my parents. I was with my cousin in San Francisco when I was in college and she was talking about how much more her family made than her parents. (She was in her late twenties at that time.) She was talking about what an interesting role reversal it is when it doesn’t make economic sense for the parent to treat.
I recall this reality sinking in and wondered what that might be like. While I’m now making about five time what my parents do, it really hasn’t been as awkward as I might have imagined. Overall there’s never been much of a great issue over it. Not much had changed in terms of gift giving or treating. I’m generous when I can be and my folks do the same.
At times I do sit back and think about how crappy it is that people who work so hard can make so little and there are others in the world who sit on their bums and rake in the dough.
Readers: I’d love to hear from folks who make more than their folks and if this has been an issue for you.
Cheers,
Miel
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