[HPforGrownups] More on Ron and I'm out...

[Patricia Bullington-McGuire]

No: HPFGUIDX 60370

On Fri, 13 Jun 2003 MadameSSnape at aol.com wrote:

> In a message dated 6/13/2003 6:16:46 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
> rsteph1981 at yahoo.com writes:
> 
> > But I think Ron'd probably says "sure, I bought some
> > robes and books" but really buy a new broom.
> 
> 
> And that would be the whole point - to teach him that lesson.  "Well, Ron, 
> you made your choice - you'll have to do without now."

Unfortunately, in learning one lesson -- the value of a galleon -- he
would be losing out on many others -- Transfiguration, Potions, Charms,
etc.  It's not clear that Ron would be allowed to attend classes *at all*
if he did not buy even the basic required texts, and even if he did attend
his ability to learn would be severely impaired.  Either his parents would
have to dole out the extra money for the robes and books after all, thus
defeating the intended lesson (Ron acts irresponsibly and gets both the
necessities *and* a new broom -- great lesson, eh?), or he would miss out
on a year of schooling.  I'd say missing out on his fifth year lessons
(whether because he has to leave school or because he can't keep up due to
lack of materials) would be a greater disservice.  Ron can always learn
about managing money in a few years, when he has some money of his own,
but fifth year potions is only offered once.

I'm all for letting teens learn about money by letting them manage some of
their own, but only after the true necessities have been covered.  Ron is
still not an adult yet, however much he might want to be treated like one,
and his parents would be neglecting their responsibilities if they didn't
ensure his education was provided for.  So, books and robes first (but get 
Ron's input on the robes, since he's the one who has to wear them), then 
let Ron prioritize the rest of what he wants with whatever money is left.

----
Patricia Bullington-McGuire	<patricia at obscure.org>

The brilliant Cerebron, attacking the problem analytically, discovered
three distinct kinds of dragon: the mythical, the chimerical, and the
purely hypothetical.  They were all, one might say, nonexistent, but each
nonexisted in an entirely different way ... 
                -- Stanislaw Lem, "Cyberiad"