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Show r 1 -r r- It - Makes Cents , U ' By r VI JUDGE BLAKE V - By Vi Blake What are the options when a family's expenses exceed their income? Move to a smaller house? Forego pleasures? Get along with one car? Sacrifice vacations? Shelve educational goals for the children? Downgrade their comfortable com-fortable life style? Should Dad (a) abandon his profession pro-fession or career and take a more lucrative job? (b) Moonlight, which would mean seldom being home, or (c) should Mom hire a baby-sitter and take a job. After an intensive brain storming storm-ing session, one family (let's call them the Andersons) opted in favor fa-vor of a concentrated effort to help Dad become more successful in his chosen career, that of a professional portrait artist. They dreamed up ways to make him feel good about himself and his work. They applauded his successes, suc-cesses, minimized his failures, and encouraged him to talk about both his goals and his frustrations. They let him know that they believed in his potential and were proud of his talent, thus giving him generous helpings of self-esteem and self-confidence. The boys willingly shared a bedroom, which provided space for a studio where he could work at home, thus eliminating the expense of a separate office as well as the cost of transportation to and from his work. Even though he was at home, they avoided interrupting him while he was at work. Meantime, they concentrated on making their home his haven, where his energy could be renewed and his creativity stimulated. They conscientiously initiated and practiced economies, avoiding waste wherever and whenever possible, pos-sible, thus showing their appreciation apprecia-tion for his efforts to provide for them. To relieve him of any guilt for not providing more, they neither nei-ther murmured nor boasted of these efforts. In many new and innovative ways, they demonstrated to others their love and admiration for their father. This, in turn, attracted art lovers to his work. So that he would be free from worry about finances and thus able to enjoy his home and family, they tried to relieve him of all the home-based tasks and petty problems prob-lems that so often confront the breadwinner when he comes home from work. The boys got paper routes, mowed lawns, and did odd jobs for neighbors. The older daughter found that she could earn enough baby sitting for her own clothing and spending money. All of this gave the father freedom to excel in his career. As a result of his family's long-range efforts, his productivity soared, Mom was able to remain home, they continued with their educational edu-cational goals, their life style basically remained the same, and, most important of all, they became a closer, happier, and more loving family. . . Readers: Send your questions or ideas to: It Makes Cents, 328 South 300 East, St George; Utah 84770. If I use your letter here, I'll send you $2.00 or a copy of one of my booklets, "Kitchen Tricks," "Discard Tricks," or "Inexpensive Snacks." Please state your choice. |