Washington Post Article is Bugging Me (daycare, lawyer, houses)

[TechlawyerinPG]

Originally Posted by tgbwc

I've never even heard of "Juicy Couture" ! Going to have to Google that one!

basically overpriced sweatsuits, tshirts and costume jewelry...that have the words Juicy emblazoned on them somewhere...I say save the money and buy a sweatsuit from Target frankly or if you have just gotta have it find a preowned set on ebay from one of the many folks selling off stuff they couldn't afford on ebay

[TechlawyerinPG]

Originally Posted by Alanboy395

Ashburn Family Reacts to Economic Downturn - washingtonpost.com

I think this articles speaks volumes about my big problems with Northern VA. Everyone is all about trying to impress others and indulging their kids. I really do not like how they indulge their 8 yr old. If she is bored why not take her to a homeless shelter to help out or volunteer in the church or something that will keep her occupied and teach her how to help her fellow man? It scares the h&%$ out of me to see how we are raising kids to be self-focused today instead of helping others.

I don't believe it is limited to NoVa or even this region but I totally agree with you. I am working on procreating now and so want to raise good citizens and kids aware of how blessed they are and interested in helping others. I know as someone who came up from poverty to a household of over double what this couple makes that I am blessed yet I also have not forgotten the long hard road and hardwork it took to get where I am now. Like many I do want to give my children better opportunities than I had coming up but not necessarily more "things" than I had coming up. I think there are many people who have achieved some success and want to give their kids everything that they did not have as a child....problem is the focus is on the material things and not just providing them with a better education/better living environment/neighborhood etc. I think me and my husband came out ok and with great character even though we did not have expensive family vacations, sweet sixteen parties, expensive summer camps, nannies, designer clothing, BMWs at 16, had to work during our springs breaks and summers off from school, etc.

[Samara11]

Originally Posted by TechlawyerinPG

basically overpriced sweatsuits, tshirts and costume jewelry...that have the words Juicy emblazoned on them somewhere...I say save the money and buy a sweatsuit from Target frankly or if you have just gotta have it find a preowned set on ebay from one of the many folks selling off stuff they couldn't afford on ebay

Their perfume is lovely though and not overpriced if you buy from the outlet in Leesburg.

[TechlawyerinPG]

Originally Posted by Alanboy395

Ashburn Family Reacts to Economic Downturn - washingtonpost.com



I still can't figure out how they blew $100 on the zoo. Think about it:

Pizza MAYBE $15-20, tops.
Parking MAYBE $10.
Coffee $10.
Hot chocolate $10?
Even with my LIBERAL estimates i get $50. $100? They aint telling us something.

I think this articles speaks volumes about my big problems with Northern VA. Everyone is all about trying to impress others and indulging their kids. I really do not like how they indulge their 8 yr old. If she is bored why not take her to a homeless shelter to help out or volunteer in the church or something that will keep her occupied and teach her how to help her fellow man? It scares the h&%$ out of me to see how we are raising kids to be self-focused today instead of helping others.

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

Direct quotes from the article:

"How will they do it without traumatizing Hannah, 8, and Jackson, 3."

(In response to having to stop shopping at Juicy Couture and reflecting upon "redecorating" what is probably a newer McMansion). I was considering scraping as many nickels and dimes together as possible so I could receive home delivery of the Washington Post at my new digs in Herndon, but if they think that usage of the word "traumatize" was APPROPRIATE for describing a family that is going from living beyond their means to living WITHIN them for a change, then they are truly just trying to sensationalize things in order to sell more papers to those of a lesser intellectual caliber who honestly probably DID feel sorry for them!

"The twice-a-month maid service was the first thing to go."

What's so difficult about cleaning up after yourselves? It's not that difficult to make your own bed, load/unload a dishwasher, give the granite counters a quick wipe down every once in a while, sweep the front walks, etc. Hell, you could even by a Roomba if you hate to vacuum, and they even have an aquatic robot to clean pools now as well (friends in another nearby subdivision have one).

"We know now to buy dish detergent at Target because it's cheaper than the grocery store. We never thought about these things before."

HOW?! What did they do when they were fresh out of college with a job paying in the $40k range? Did they just leech off of their parents? Were they trust fund babies? How can you possibly be running a household with NO concept of budgeting? Granted as an accountant I'm more apt to do these sorts of things, but any IDIOT should know that spending a few minutes to clip coupons can add up to savings of hundreds of dollars per year.

"And hosting a dinner party -- that would cost $300 to $400. An $80 roast, wine, flowers -- all in, it was three to four hundred."

Amazing! My parents have hosted dinner parties for colleagues, neighbors, friends, etc. for much, much less than $100. Does this family's ineptitude get ANY worse?

"In February, instead of paying someone $1,500 to paint the inside of their house, Stacey and Michael spent $200 on paint and did it themselves."

So this family admits in a prior paragraph that they no longer give generously to charity, family, or friends because of their "situation," and then they proceed to spend $200 anyways to paint their McMansion. Nice.

"I got a vasectomy, and we looked into getting it reversed. It costs $12,000. And insurance definitely wouldn't pay for it. We've thought about it a lot; I always wanted three kids. But the bottom line is, even if I did get it, we couldn't afford to have another baby."

First off, why didn't you understand the ramifications of a vasectomy BEFORE you had the procedure done? Secondly, I'm sure there are many unwanted children in NoVA who would love to be adopted into a caring family. I plan to adopt myself someday (if it's legal for me to do so in whatever jurisdiction I'll be residing in). Why is adoption so frowned upon by so many people?

"It used to be, she'd be bored on a Saturday and she'd say, "Let's go get our nails done," and I'd say okay. Now, I'll sometimes say no -- or we'll go, but we'll only do our fingers, not our toes."

BOO HOO!

"I really want the children to see more of the world. That's been one of the hardest things, not being able to get them out of their Ashburn bubble."

Well WHO forced you to move to suburbia in the first place?

"We want the kids to see D.C. And I thought, the zoo -- that's a cheap thing to do. Well we went, and by the time we paid for pizza, two cups of coffee, hot chocolate and parking, it came to $100. We're not going to D.C. again."

Yes. What a brilliant idea. Let's punish a city because we don't know how to find a CHEAP way to enjoy all it has to offer such as the FREE museums!

"Everyone puts on airs. I call this the neighborhood of the Stepford Wives. Everyone's keeping up with the Joneses; no one wants to say, "We're in trouble."

Once again, who FORCED you to move to suburbia? This is what you should EXPECT in the suburbs. I've grown up in this same sort of environment of people keeping to themselves and trying to "keep up appearances," hence why as soon as my finances in my new career path permit I'll be high-tailing it into a working-class urban neighborhood where people care more about WHO you are instead of what's in your driveway.

"We have two college educations to pay for. And we'd like to retire someday."

1.) I've nearly graduated college, and aside from student loans (that I'll be repaying) and SOME help from my parents I footed the bill myself by working nearly full-time while attending school. Why do YOU have to pay for your child's education? Let them get a job!

2.) If you're already in your 30s and haven't started to save for your retirement yet, then that's YOUR fault. I'm already planning to sacrifice in my first year living in Herndon in order to max out the matched portion of my TSP (401k equivalency) contribution at 5% and have decided to invest in savings bonds as well. You should pay YOURSELF first through voluntary payroll deductions whenever possible and then learn to budget the rest.

The stupidity of so many people who earn so much more than I do never ceases to amaze me.

Standing Ovation!

[TechlawyerinPG]

Originally Posted by Denton56

Scanbarre,
No one adopts because there are no children under 10 available for adoption. There are some older, sibling, groups, and some children in their teens with delinquency problems, and some children with very severe handicaps who you might adopt someday, but there are not very young children.

Most people would like a baby to adopt, but there are only 7,000 infants in the entire US who are relinquished for adoption each year. Your chances of being chosen by a birth mother to adopt one of those babies is very, very, slim.

If you choose to go overseas to adopt a younger child, expect to pay $50,000 or more, IF you can find an available child. Many countries have closed adoptions to those outside their country.

Perhaps now you can understand why people choose to have their own children, rather than adopt. It's not prejudice against adoption, but the reality of the adoption pool.

Hope this helps!

Are there NO children under 10 or no white children under 10??? My husband works in a child and family services department in an agency in the region...there are young kids available...just not white.

[ChristineVA]

Originally Posted by TechlawyerinPG

Are there NO children under 10 or no white children under 10??? My husband works in a child and family services department in an agency in the region...there are young kids available...just not white.

I just read an article about how difficult it is to adopt in the US. Even non-white children. I'm not sure what the specifics are but I've heard enough times from parents who have been forced to go overseas.

[Fairfax Mom]

Denton 56 - you are dead wrong - it only costs around 18k to adopt an infant overseas and there is a $12k tax credit. There are thousands of children living their entire lives in orphanages that would love to be adopted. PM me if you want to adopt - I will steer you in the right direction.
And what is wrong with adopting a black child? A child is a child. And most adoptable children DO NOT have problems - it is their parents who had the problems.

And what kind of fool takes there 9 year old kid to get her nails done? I am over 40 and I have never gotten my nails done. What for? I can do it at home.

And what kind of lazy ass needs a cleaning lady? No wonder eveyone is so fat.

[HEATHER72]

I could say a million things about adoption in the US. A long story short, after weighing everything between domestic and international adoptions, we are adopting a child from Ethiopia. Domestic adoptions work around hoping you get picked by a birth mother. Foster kids are typically older than 6. The adoption meetings and conferences that we have been to the crowds were typically older and can't have children of their own.

[Samara11]

Originally Posted by Fairfax Mom

And what kind of lazy ass needs a cleaning lady? No wonder eveyone is so fat.

Maybe full-time working moms like me. I know I need one, I've been doing my own cleaning but now my husband and toddler are just too messy and I hate spending my 3-4 hours on a weekend cleaning and cooking when I would rather play outside with my daughter or take her to a park/library *sigh*. IMO, nothing wrong with wanting a cleaning lady if you're working

Can anyone recommend one in Loudoun?? I need a break please.

[Alanboy395]

Originally Posted by TechlawyerinPG

I don't believe it is limited to NoVa or even this region but I totally agree with you. I am working on procreating now and so want to raise good citizens and kids aware of how blessed they are and interested in helping others. I know as someone who came up from poverty to a household of over double what this couple makes that I am blessed yet I also have not forgotten the long hard road and hardwork it took to get where I am now. Like many I do want to give my children better opportunities than I had coming up but not necessarily more "things" than I had coming up. I think there are many people who have achieved some success and want to give their kids everything that they did not have as a child....problem is the focus is on the material things and not just providing them with a better education/better living environment/neighborhood etc. I think me and my husband came out ok and with great character even though we did not have expensive family vacations, sweet sixteen parties, expensive summer camps, nannies, designer clothing, BMWs at 16, had to work during our springs breaks and summers off from school, etc.

I'm proud that you have escaped poverty and became a fine contributing citizen. I'm proud of my divorced mother who came from a dead-end area along the AR/TX border to serve in our Air Force and now serves our federal government. Because of this i was able to have a decent middle class childhood while going to a good school district in Southern VA.

What's the use of having a Mercedes and a $800k house if you have no class and dont try to help your fellow man?