Retirement with teenagers

1

1eyeonthefuture

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Interested to hear of any experiences where retirement was taken when kids were 16 /17/18 years old.
Other half is hell bent on going at 56 whereby youngest will be just 17 and oldest 21.
Will have a good pension etc however our plan was always to travel and spend the autumn and winter in sunnier climates but I just don't see the point until the kids are at least into uni if not finished which would bring her (and me) to 60, with 2 v comfortable pensions.
Anyone out there that did pull the trigger when kids were still school going and what were thier experience?? Would you still go down the same route or tweak it etc etc
Thanks
 
If either of you are pre 95 public sector workers paying B or D Prsi make sure to have AVCs before you retire. This would allow you to gain S class Prsi until age 66 and qualify for the contributory pension.
 
If you're still talking about spending a sizeable time abroad, and having children in school, etc, then my opinion is that you're being an irresponsible parent. You asked for an opinion and that's mine. Any of your children could get sick, into trouble, need a shoulder to cry on, need help, want to go home and quite simply to talk to their Mom or Dad. There's plenty more too and you are their parents, you're also responsible for them and they'll need both of you. Just because you might have a few bob in your back pocket doesn't mean you can do what you want. Might come across as me being personal towards you, but you asked a question and that's my answer.
 
My retirement was at age 50. My youngest child was 10 at the time. My eldest was 29 and middle child was 18. For clarity I am now 64. Like your wife I was very happy to retire early and have no regrets. In my fifties I travelled extensively mainly in Asia. As I have got older my urge to travel so far has diminished. So if travel is your thing do it in your fifties. Financially there is never enough money. If your mortgage is paid then the real pressure is off. Children are expensive and more so young adults. Not all children go to Uni and if they do they may repeat years/change courses and perhaps do a masters. My youngest finished college at 23. If you live in a rural location your children will have to travel to college or even if you don’t they may choose a course in another city. Accommodation is very expensive. FYI my youngest went to a private school. They are no more expensive than a creche.
 
I’m 50 now. Financially ok- no Mortgage etc. children in university (living at home) and youngest is in 5th year of school. I just find the kids need me so Much - lots of life transitions, lifts, Support etc. it’s such a busy time!
 
noproblem said:
If you're still talking about spending a sizeable time abroad, and having children in school, etc, then my opinion is that you're being an irresponsible parent. You asked for an opinion and that's mine. Any of your children could get sick, into trouble, need a shoulder to cry on, need help, want to go home and quite simply to talk to their Mom or Dad. There's plenty more too and you are their parents, you're also responsible for them and they'll need both of you. Just because you might have a few bob in your back pocket doesn't mean you can do what you want. Might come across as me being personal towards you, but you asked a question and that's my answer.
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Youngest will be 17 by time, they thinking of retiring. When I was 17, I had finished school and had emigrated to work in UK . If I wanted my mammy and daddy back then, tough luck, I wrote a letter and waited two weeks for a reply.
 
Look ahead said:
Youngest will be 17 by time, they thinking of retiring. When I was 17, I had finished school and had emigrated to work in UK . If I wanted my mammy and daddy back then, tough luck, I wrote a letter and waited two weeks for a reply.
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Thankfully things have changed. Let's hope you're not suggesting we go back there. I lived in those days, God forgive a lot of them who were our so called teachers and guardians. I include lots of parents in that comment.
 
noproblem said:
Thankfully things have changed. Let's hope you're not suggesting we go back there. I lived in those days, God forgive a lot of them who were our so called teachers and guardians. I include lots of parents in that comment.
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No im not suggesting we go back to those days, but my goodness i think some17 year olds today are like 12 year olds back then.

All my own children left home aged 17 as well and went off to college some to college abroad and they were no major issues.

Nowadays a huge section of the younger cohorts stay at home with mum and dad well into their thirties, forties and beyond. So I do wonder how do the now 'aging' mums and dads put up with it all.
 
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Look ahead said:
No im not suggesting we go back to those days, but my goodness i think some17 year olds today are like 12 year olds back then.

All my own children left home aged 17 as well and went off to college some to college abroad and they were no major issues.

Nowadays a huge section of the younger cohorts stay at home with mum and dad well into their thirties, forties and beyond. So I do wonder how do the now 'aging' mums and dads put up with it all.
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There's a Letting of Steam for stuff like this. :rolleyes:
 
1eyeonthefuture said:
Interested to hear of any experiences where retirement was taken when kids were 16 /17/18 years old.
Other half is hell bent on going at 56 whereby youngest will be just 17 and oldest 21.
Will have a good pension etc however our plan was always to travel and spend the autumn and winter in sunnier climates but I just don't see the point until the kids are at least into uni if not finished which would bring her (and me) to 60, with 2 v comfortable pensions.
Anyone out there that did pull the trigger when kids were still school going and what were thier experience?? Would you still go down the same route or tweak it etc etc
Thanks
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I think you have been quite misundertood in this thread. I am in almost the same situation, planning to retire at 56 when my youngest will be in 5th year but the older two will be almost through uni. If I read your post correctly, you want to go travelling but you are asking if you retire at 56 and therefore be spending about 2-3 years at home to chapperone your youngest through their final school years, early college years, would that be a "waste" considering you cant travel until you are both 60 and free of school. I have the same thoughts but I just cant fathom staying the extra few years working just to bank a few more K and will use those years till I can travel freely doing all the things I want to do like being lazy, cooking more, swimming, reading, learning spanish, etc....and then enjoy travelling from 59 or 60. I would also like to hear from others who have done similar (ie stayed around home while waiting for your 'real' retirment to start) and how did it go.
 
There is plenty you can do in retirement without travel. It would be very hard for the 17 year old to stay focused on their Leaving Cert whilst always having a free gaff. Your house is the one that every teenager would be calling around to all the time. The 17 year old would also have to run the household as well as their studies. Once they are finished school and in college, you can head off but I wouldn't put that level of expectation and responsibility on a school going kid.
 
noproblem said:
If you're still talking about spending a sizeable time abroad, and having children in school, etc, then my opinion is that you're being an irresponsible parent. You asked for an opinion and that's mine. Any of your children could get sick, into trouble, need a shoulder to cry on, need help, want to go home and quite simply to talk to their Mom or Dad. There's plenty more too and you are their parents, you're also responsible for them and they'll need both of you. Just because you might have a few bob in your back pocket doesn't mean you can do what you want. Might come across as me being personal towards you, but you asked a question and that's my answer.
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er, dont think you read the OP correctly before you flew off on a rant.
 
bstop said:
If either of you are pre 95 public sector workers paying B or D Prsi make sure to have AVCs before you retire. This would allow you to gain S class Prsi until age 66 and qualify for the contributory pension.
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Hi yes, good point. Herself has been paying AVC's since day one as a teacher.
 
mary poppins said:
I think you have been quite misundertood in this thread. I am in almost the same situation, planning to retire at 56 when my youngest will be in 5th year but the older two will be almost through uni. If I read your post correctly, you want to go travelling but you are asking if you retire at 56 and therefore be spending about 2-3 years at home to chapperone your youngest through their final school years, early college years, would that be a "waste" considering you cant travel until you are both 60 and free of school. I have the same thoughts but I just cant fathom staying the extra few years working just to bank a few more K and will use those years till I can travel freely doing all the things I want to do like being lazy, cooking more, swimming, reading, learning spanish, etc....and then enjoy travelling from 59 or 60. I would also like to hear from others who have done similar (ie stayed around home while waiting for your 'real' retirment to start) and how did it go.
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Hi Mary, you have hit the nail on the head here. thanks
 
How much time does anyone plan to spend travelling in their retirement? We suspect it will be 30%-40% of the year in the early years of ours once my second hits university. Our youngest will be in school until 2025 but I am still considering pulling the trigger. Indeed, I wonder if by having someone who still needs looking after will make the transition less jarring?
 
1eyeonthefuture said:
er, dont think you read the OP correctly before you flew off on a rant.
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No rant on my part and read your post as it was written. Perhaps the way it was written left it open to interpretation, then again maybe not. Hopefully, I'll know better the next time and give your posts a wide berth.
 
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