Dear Mr. Goh:
My name is Helen (name changed),and I’m a journalism student at Georgia College and State University working on a magazine-style article about the effects on college students with an unemployed parent. I was hoping you might be able to help me by providing some comments and context for the piece. Specifically, I’m looking to learn:
1. What do you think has been the biggest emotional burden to families, specifically college students, with an unemployed parent?
Unemployment affects everyone in the family especially if they have dependent family members like college students. Emotionally, they may feel insecure with regard to the payment of tuition fees and daily living expenses. I am not sure how the US works but here in Singapore we have bursaries that sudents can apply if they have severe financial difficulties due to the primary income earner getting laid off.
College students with unemployed parents also have the additional burden of living with the emotional pains of someone who is jobless. As the saying goes when someone suffers in the family the rest will suffer too.
2. What do you think is the number one thing a teenager of an unemployed parent should do?
The teenager should try to understand why living allowances are reduced and how certain perks may be cut off. He may even need to work at some part time job just to supplement his own reduced living allowances. This will greatly reduce the stresses of the parents if possible. Teenagers can also show understanding to their jobless parent by asking them how are things and showing concern when they see that their parents are down. This will greatly cement the ties between the teenager and his jobless parent. Such concern shown during tough times will be remembered forever – this is perhaps what teenagers can do though it may be tough if they have some generational gap all along. It is worth trying nevertheless. I have also heard that in adverse cases of someone going jobless in the household, families can also break up as a result of financial stress and unreasonable behaviour. The teenager who is matured enough to check on their parent regularly is one step up on those who simply do their own thing all along.
3. As the unemployment rate continues to stay high, what do you recommend to college students with an unemployed parent to do in order to prevent issues within the household?
3. As the unemployment rate continues to stay high, what do you recommend to college students with an unemployed parent to do in order to prevent issues within the household?
The teenager should try all ways to supplement the income of the family household by taking on some reasonable temp job such as waiting on tables or other temporary job. This will greatly reduce the financial stress of the household. As spoken, they can also show concern to their jobless parents by regularly checking on their emotional state of health and even offering to take in a reduced amount of living allowance. They can also help their parents by asking around for jobs that are suitable for their parents. Such initiative shown during tough difficult times will be appreciated by all around the family. Families who chip in to help one another tend to be able to survive a economic recession better than thosw ho keep to themselves.
4. My deadline is this Thurs., Nov. 19. Would you be available to chat with me by phone sometime before then? Or would you prefer I send you specific questions to answers by email?
I am living in SIngapore. Email will be best I felt. I try to answer them promptly.
Thanks, in advance, for any help and guidance you can offer. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Helen
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