Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day should be expanded.
Every April, parents bring their kids to work to envision their future — but why stop at 18?
Middle-aged kids should spend a day with their parents to envision their retirement — as I did a few years ago.
Early in the morning, my dad and I made coffee and toast, then worked on his crossword puzzle.
“This is the life,” I said. “No job, no boss — the freedom to do anything you want!”
“What’s a four-letter word for a son who gets on his father’s nerves?” said my dad.
“Heir?” I said, smacking the table and laughing.
“Why are you here?” said my mom as she walked into the kitchen.
As I jumped up to make her coffee, I spilled a carton of half-and-half onto the floor.
“Don’t you have to go to work?” she said, cleaning up the mess.
I turned to see my dad jogging to the bathroom. I followed, but he slammed the door in my face.
“Can you hand me the Reader’s Digest?” I shouted.
Later that morning, Mom and Dad organized their finances on their computer. They’d just received three bank deposits — one from an investment fund and two from the Social Security Administration.
“That’s what I’m talking about!” I said, as I jumped to my feet and began twerking.
“Why aren’t you married?” said my dad.
By early afternoon — after my third nap — I was fully embracing retired life.
As Mom left to walk with her friends, Dad and I watched “Judge Judy” reruns.
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“How do you think she’ll rule on this one?” I said.
“Your mother is worried about you,” he said.
Take Our Daughters to Work Day — which later became Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day — was established by the Ms. Foundation in 1993, the same year my dad retired.
And 1993 was a great year to retire.
Born during the Great Depression, my parents grew up with little, worked extremely hard, and, as the economy flourished, did better financially than they ever could have imagined.
In 1993, the national debt was a paltry $4.4 trillion. There were 3.3 workers for every Social Security beneficiary — and the workers included millions of baby boomers in their peak earning years.
Social Security and Medicare would remain well-funded the rest of my dad’s life.
If I retire at 67 in 2029, however, the national debt is projected to be about $44 trillion. The ratio of covered workers to beneficiaries will have dropped to 2.5 — and by 2033, the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund will be able to pay only 77 percent of the promised benefits, according to the 2025 Trustees Report.
Medicare woes aren’t far behind. Rising healthcare costs threaten reduced retiree coverage or higher out-of-pocket bills.
Add in the fact that millions of 60-somethings lack pensions, are far behind on savings, and are still helping their broke kids, and you see the stark difference between my parents’ wonderful retirement years and the disappointment millions of baby boomers may face.
After we had dinner — Dad had a two-for-one coupon at Subway — my parents said they were going to bed early, then locked their bedroom door.
But I could hear them talking and laughing for hours — the way fully funded retirees once did.
Find Tom Purcell’s syndicated column, humor books, and funny videos of his dog, Thurber, at TomPurcell.com. Email him at Tom@TomPurcell.com.
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