Kate Gosselin is making news with the cancellation of her reality show "Kate Plus 8." The reality TV mom panicked worrying how she would care for her kids without the show. It prompted dad Jon to advise "get a job." What can parents learn about money and employment, from the Gosselins?
* Get a real job. Jon Gosselin told his ex-wife that a reality television show isn't a real job. He's right. It may be lots of work, but it's not employment. It's contracted labor without the contract. TLC pulled the plug on "Kate Plus 8" because it wasn't earning. It's disappointing, but life sometimes is.
* Don't spend money you haven't got yet. While worrying about supporting her family, Kate buys a new Audi. Not a smart move for someone facing major financial setbacks. Learn from Kate. Don't make non-necessity purchases from anticipated funds. When the funds don't come through, you're stuck paying for things you can't afford. New homes, cars, entertainment systems, digital equipment, jewelry, salon visits, trips should not be purchased with projected income.
* Pay bills before buying luxuries. Before buying a new toy, budget in (and pay off when possible) mortgage, gas, electric, hospital bills, medical expenses, tuition, insurance and purchases you've already made.
* Use common sense, even with necessities. You need food, transportation, clothing, medical treatment: you don't need cosmetic surgery, luxury cars and designer clothing.
* Look for ways to pare down, not upgrade. My husband and I raised four children on $35,000 per year. We survived unemployment, major illness, hospitalization, union lockouts, pay and benefit cuts and natural disaster. We know people who support half the family members on twice the income. He complains because he can't make ends meet. His cellphone (used mainly to play "Angry Birds") Internet and cable television bills come to $400 per month. Our shared cellphone costs $45 a month. We don't have cable television. Internet costs us $25 a month.
* Don't expect jobs to be permanent. Even if you don't have a reality television show, jobs are transitional and plastic by nature. Our economy fluctuates. It's a supply and demand market. Companies fold. Employment demands change.
* Plan for employment reverses. If you have a good job now, it doesn't mean you always will. Retool your life. Go back to school. Whatever education you got "B.K." (Before Kids) usually needs updating. Occupational protocol changes and you have to change with it.
* Don't expect to find work doing what you did or making your former salary. Teachers with masters degrees are subbing for $75 a day to feed their families. Sometimes, you take what you can get.
* No one is too good to work and no job is beneath you. I've been a job counselor and been told by high school students that they're too good to work McDonald's. No one should be treated poorly, but everyone experiences it at some time in their employment history. Get over yourself. We all had to if we want to work.
* Learn to take correction and adapt. Employers don't care how good you were at what you did before. They care about your performance with them. Each employer has his own way of doing things. If you want a job, you do it that way.
Marilisa Kinney Sachteleben writes from 23 years parenting four children and 25 years teaching K-8, special needs, adult education, job skills and home-school.
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