My son just came out of his room and said that he is so angry and he doesn't know why and he doesn't know what to do with it. I asked him what's wrong and he said "I don't know." Then I pushed a little more and he said "I don't want to say because you'll cry." Oh boy, worst mom ever feelings again. Dealt with them, took a deep breath, and said "Please tell me, I want to help if I can." He said "I hate not having any money for things I want. I don't feel like you and Dad take seriously that I am in this music thing for the long haul." I told him that we do know, actually, his Dad & I talk often about how good he's getting and how impressed we are. And I said son, I wish I was independently wealthy so I could just buy you whatever equipment you want. But life doesn't work that way. Most of us have to work for the money to buy things. He said "I know. I also hate that I feel this way." He's working so hard this summer in the college course he's taking, he got I think like 5 A's and 2 B's in mostly honors classes this past semester in school, and I want to reward him for his hard work, so we're not going to ask him to help pay for his insurance right now... I don't think he realizes just how much money that is, having him on our insurance. He's actually going to get paid for taking this class, part of the program he's in at school, but he won't get paid until the end of the class. We already forwarded him part of what he's going to get so he would have gas money to get to and from the college. His Dad & I have been discussing getting him a new bass for his birthday in November, but he doesn't know that of course. He and a couple of his friends have a band now, part of the problem is these friends have wealthy parents who basically buy them whatever they want, so my son's equipment doesn't measure up because we are not wealthy. I understand how he feels, I totally do, because my first roommate in college - her parents sent her money ALL the time and she was always buying things and going out to eat and partying and I couldn't do any of that. My grandfather had put money in a savings account starting the day I was born on every holiday, every birthday, and by the time I was ready for college I had most of the money to pay for it, I worked for my spending money. So I get it, I do. But I don't know how to help him through this. I know in the long run he's going to be a much more responsible and successful adult because he's NOT being handed everything on a silver platter. But still... I want to be able to do something special for him because I am so proud of the young man that he is. He's dealing with his feelings, getting himself over it, he said he knows he should be thankful because we're letting him drive... etc. It's tough having a teenager isn't it? After the class is done, he'll be able to work part time machining parts in the shop at school for one of the local companies (again part of the program he got into) but he won't get paid for any of that work until he graduates. And then he gets 2 years of college paid for as well. Sorry couch I really needed to get that out. H is watching a baseball game (what's new) so he's useless to try to talk to about it at the moment. Thanks for listening.