By Evan Loveless
Amp writer
Most teenagers can tell you what a recession is, especially now since we’ve been going through one for the last few years. They probably could also tell you about how their family is affected and maybe even what caused it.
But some people are affected by the recession more than others. Some kids’ parents are part of the 15 million Americans or 10 percent of the country’s workforce that are unemployed. I am one of those teenagers who is part of a family that went from financially stable to just trying to make ends meet.
A few years ago my father decided to start a company dealing specifically with cabinets and countertops. There were problems right from the beginning when the recession hit. The entire construction industry went down by 80 percent nationwide, which didn’t leave much business for the small business owner like my father. So with the business not bringing in sufficient funds, his job hunt began.
The problem is that there are not enough jobs, especially for people that have had long-time careers in specific industries. Many job applications and many months later, my father got two part-time jobs to supplement his reduced income from the cabinet business. Jobs that he probably would have never imagined doing prior to the recession.
However, for many people in this country, having a job doesn’t mean it pays enough to pay the bills. Even though my father works three jobs, as well as my mother working full-time, it does not mean that there is money to burn.
As a teenager I feel that my focus should be on school, sports, friends, relationships etc., not on the state of the economy. My parents have done everything possible to keep the weight of financial worries off my siblings and me. I’ve learned not to ask for things that I know would be difficult for my parents to give me. There have been times when I was saddened and frustrated by things that I felt like I wished I had, but just couldn’t afford. I suppose a very practical and ultimately good life lesson.
I understand the state of the economy is bad for many people, some which are much worse off then my family. Many people are losing their houses and living on the streets with no relief from the recession in sight. My generation is going to have many financial struggles to overcome. We have the largest deficit in our nation’s history and have to pay trillions of dollars for the war, health care reform and social security debt, etc. Who is going to pay for all this? We will. The recession is very real and very serious with major ramifications for the future.
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