The issue of this article is who should be responsible for paying a child’s college tuition. The author of this article feels that parents should not be or feel responsible for paying their child’s college tuition at all. Some of the reasons that the author gives for feeling this way, according to her which is the most important is that her parents did it to her. She feels that because this was something that her parents did to her, that all parents should follow the same example. The woman believes that this helped her to “feel a sense of accomplishment that she believes she couldn’t have gained from 50 college degrees all paid for by someone else.” (Richardson, 2000) She also feels that in following in her parents’ footsteps and putting herself through college gave her a sense of responsibility that she was able to pay her own way. These arguments are successful because the woman gives clear and concise reasons why she feels this way. She supports what she feels with examples from her own personal life that helped her to come to her conclusion. These arguments are also successful because she acknowledges that others may feel differently, but she still stands firm on her beliefs and provides reason why. A weakness in the argument would be that she just automatically assumes that since this was something her parents did to her, that it is completely within reason to do the same to her own daughter. She thinks that if her daughter wants to go to college bad enough, that she will figure out a way to pay her own way. One aspect of this article that I disagree with is the fact that this woman thinks it is completely justified to not pay for her own daughter college tuition. The fact that she states “she’ll find a way to put herself through if she wants to go badly enough” to me is simply appalling. I understand that this was something that her parents put her through, but that doesn’t mean she has to do the same to her own daughter. She doesn’t even know how her daughter will feel once she informs her of her beliefs. With all due respect to the mother, that is just unfair to already have decided to make her daughter endure that burden. Not to say that the woman’s parents making her pay her own way was totally justified or unjustified, but it just doesn’t sit well with me that she they all feel this is alright. I think it might be better to inform her daughter of how she feels, let her know what she had to endure and some of the sacrifices that may or may not have to be made to make her tuition and then let her daughter make an informed decision. Especially be it the fact that the woman attended college some time ago, and the cost of higher education goes up every year, so it might be something that her daughter might not be able to make happen. Now don’t get me wrong, I am totally onboard with parents wanting to instill responsibility, great values, and a sense of one self in their children, but to me this just seems a bit harsh. Not to say that her daughter wouldn’t be one hundred percent on board with the idea, but something in me just wishes that the mother would give her child the chance to decide whether or not she wants to pay her own way. Life can be very hard and trying, and a bit of a struggle is not going to hurt, but this could completely backfire in the woman’s face. This in turn could be very detrimental to her daughter on so many different levels. But when it’s all said and done, the young lady is the woman’s daughter and she will do whatever she thinks is best for her, despite what other may say.

Bibliography
Richardson, A. R. (2000). Pay Your Own Way! (Then Thank Mom). Pearson.