I got my first job when I was 14 working at Dairy Queen. My parents had a Dodge Coronet they bought new in 1968 when I was 2. When I was 10, they parked it next to the garage and there it sat for 4 years. I was on the swing set, looking at the car, thinking I would need a car pretty soon. This was in 1980. I strolled over to my dad who was working in the yard, and started peppering him with questions. Will it run? What needs to be fixed? How much will it cost? After he answered, I told him I was going to get a job, and then we could fix it. He laughed and said ok. I went and begged for a job. I got it and saved every dime I made. By the end of summer, I had 10 $100 bills. I took it to my dad and asked if we could start working on the car. We did. It was ready to go in a year. To this day, I have never been without a job, sometimes two. And, yes, we still have the Dodge and it is still beautiful. And, yes, many kids today don't know the value of hard work or the value of money. Too many parents hand them whatever they want, whenever they want. Too many are spoiled and lazy. I made my daughters get their own jobs to pay for the things they wanted. Hard work never hurt anyone.

doodle, you are right, my SD's mom doesn't work (never has) and moved for a guy she just met, yet she is always 'too busy' to come pick up her daughter and when her daughter is there, she leaves her with BF's parents because they have 'plans' and when SD calls her, she is constantly trying to get off the phone, telling SD to 'call me back in an hour' and when she does, she gets the voice mail. So, it's not a case of moving for a job or even a husband and she used to be very involved with her girls before she left. She complains that WE don't keep her informed. Well, it's the parent's responsibility to keep themselves informed of their kids' life. We send her school bulletins & information, but it's her responsibility to go to the school and talk with teachers or show an interest. She doesn't hardly talk to her daughter... going to the school might shock me. My point isn't that parents should never move away and that there aren't good reasons. I think finedreams and her ex co-parented from different countries (if I remember correctly) and distance doesn't have to be a barrier. But, if the CP is not cooperative and the kids' relationship with the NCP is suffering or if they are being raised in a manner that the NCP feels is harmful, then the NCP has the option to seek custody or move closer to their kids. You cannot be a long distance parent with much control if the CP disregards your input. It's clear that in this case, the CP is doing that and the kids are also rejecting dad's input. Dad has few options. He can let it go and hopefully resume his relationship with his kids when they are older (as adults) if his relationship (or his kid's lives) aren't permanently damaged, or he can move closer and get more involved. It would be great if he and his ex could get on the same page and agree, but it doesn't sound like they agree on much. It's affecting his kids' attitudes toward dad so while mom1sm2 may be lucky to have a cooperative parenting partners in her situation, it's more difficult to have that when one person doesn't want it. If it were MY kids, I would not have moved away... but if my ex moved my kids away from me, I would first fight it and if I lost that fight, I would follow my kids because I would not want to be a long distance parent. I do think it is all about priorities and while moving for a job is usually something people use to justify moving away from their kids, I don't think it's always a justification. Personally, I would take a lower paying job to be more involved with my kids. It's a sacrifice I would make. If someone chooses the higher paying job (or just moving for any other reason), then they have less room to complain about how their kids are being raised.

That brought back some bad memories of my highschool days. We lived on a farm 10 miles from town. My folks came home from the weekly shopping trip and Mom was very shaken. They had witnessed a deadly accident right before their faces. It involved highschool classmates of mine. Four of my classmates were barreling down the highway and my folks were waiting behind a car at the stop sign waiting to cross this highway when the first waiting car truned right onto the highway in front of my classmates. The driver decided to pass the offender, stepped on the gas, and entered the left lane only to meet head-on an oncoming auto. All 3 occupants of the oncoming car were killed. My 4 classmates were badly mangled and the driver barely survived. This happened in an instant in the intersection where my parents were waiting to cross the highway. That was in about 1953. Now it is 2014 and bad traffic decisions have not changed.

Oak can be considered a weed species, if unwanted trees grow in your garden. And yes prolific seeding Ash can be definition of weed species. But know Ash does this, because its a "Pioneering" species. And also an ecosystems most influential Keystone species keeping, other invasive species in check. While securing ground so pre-settlement species like Oak can come back someday! Ash Pre 1950 before popular cultivars like Marshal seedless were sold by nurseries, Green Ash was even more iconic than Sycamore for its production of one strong apical dominant leader. These "Plant and grow above your roof" Green Ash can still be found today with ages of 60 and older. In fact, its a good way of estimating a trees age, and can determine if ones ash is younger or older than 60. So presently all the Green ash with one Roman column sized trunks, are those pre 1950 grown examples. A few owners who lost their old wild ash trees to EAB, but are keeping a seedling or two growing. Are shocked how their young trees require no structural pruning because they continue to be so apical dominant. One big difference between Green and White Ash, is how growth on end of limbs on Green Ash, curve upward. And growth habit of White Ash results in all limbs and branches pointing straight upward. White Ash, Sugar Maple, and American Elm, are powerhouse species that can handle growth of multiple limbs extending outward from one lower spot on trunk. Compared to say Callery pear trees, which fall apart with this growth habit. Those three hardwoods with this common trait, can continue to have conglomerate of multiple leaders stay well attached without self destructing. Horticulturally this is because they can handle included bark attachments, actually strengthening overtime by developing into one whole common mass of wood. As a Dendrologist observing thousands of felled trees, one cannot tell from outside that many times one single trunk had been made up from two or more trunks on Green Ash. And when compared to other species that produce twin trunks beginning low to ground, such as Silver Maple. Green Ash can easily become multitrunked tree, producing strongest attachments without fatal problem of included bark. For example, look at a Silver maple diverging into two large trunks, from a sideways view. And you will see pinching bulge extending outward. Yet on Ash with same structure, there is no pinch bulge. Because where two trunks converge, is all same wood without included bark in middle. Know that even Oaks can develop multiple leaders, when grown out in open. And when one finds an older multileader tree growing in middle of forest with all younger single leader trees surrounding it. These examples are called "Wolf" trees, which began growing after settlers cleared local forest during 1800's. Then new forest was later allowed to reclaim old riparian farmland, usually around 1900's. Its great that you all notice different unique growth habits between Green and White Ash. Even cooler is fact that there can be huge differences between wild species evolving from unique local conditions. So traits I point out, may not be true for Ash growing in your local area. One great example, is the wild variety of Biltmore White Ash from Ashville North Carolina which FL Olmsted had discovered. Which has pubescent fuzz on back of leaves, like Red Ash. At same time Scientists consider Red ash, just a variety of Green Ash. Another example is Junginger Autumn Purple White Ash variety a scientist found in Wisconsin local woods. And all those urban ones you see today, are clones that cannot seed. And before clearing of American forest which extended unbroken from East coast to Mississippi river. Tree hunters regularly discovered unique one of a kind examples they would officially characterize and list traits of. Then propagate new trees from cuttings for planting elsewhere.