Question

Management at Work

As a parent, you are the leader of your family. Today your boss told you that your job has been eliminated and handed you your last paycheck. In addition, your landlord notified you that he is converting your apartment building to condominiums you can’t afford and will evict you when your lease is up next month. Finally, one of your children was recently diagnosed with a serious illness that will require extensive medical treatment and specialized day care, which insurance may not cover. Your kids are worried and are looking to you for comfort. Which of the following do you do?
A. Spend as much time as possible with your children so they have plenty of opportunities to ask you questions.
B. Let your children know the hard facts: that because of these serious setbacks, they should get used to being poor and will probably not be able to attend college.
C. Give your children age-appropriate but honest information about your family's situation, such as "Jesse is very sick," and "We will need to move soon."
D. Let your children know not to bother you with their problems or anything else because you have much more serious issues on your mind.

Answer 1

If only one option allowed then;

• C. Give your children age-appropriate but honest information about your family's situation, such as "Jesse is very sick," and "We will need to move soon."

If more than one option allowed then include;

• A. Spend as much time as possible with your children so they have plenty of opportunities to ask you questions.

Step-by-step explanation:

These are very hard and difficult times for your family and it becomes necessary that the children are not left in the dark. There comes a time when children must grow up and for some that time comes quite earlier than for others when times like these arise.

Given your current situation, the children being the dark can only serve to fragment the family. It is best that they know what is happening. As they are children you cannot explain things to them the way you would an adult.

You must therefore explain things to them in a way that they can understand. A way that portrays the gravity of the situation but not a way that paints too grim a picture of things yet to come. You must give them age-appropriate but honest information about your family's situation, such as "Jesse is very sick," and "We will need to move soon."

Another thing you must do is to spend as much time with them as you can afford because you will obviously need to look around for opportunities. During this time you will need to answer as many of their questions as possible because confused children can only make things worse as they may resent you for a change in lifestyle if they do not know what spurred it. Again, the answers must be age-appropriate.