There is nothing wrong with kids working at "menial" jobs. It teaches them work ethic and gets them ready for the real world, where not everything will be handed to them on a silver platter.

You missed my part about vocational school. College isn't for everybody. And yes I do understand what it costs; I had $30k in student loans which I paid off years ago. My husband still pays on his and has about $50k. Both of us agree college was worth every penny of those student loans.

Your kids started businesses ? That's great. Assuming they have, or one day will have, employees, hopefully they are not forced to pay a "living wage" for menial work and need to make the tough choice of automating and laying off their employees or going out of business when they can't compete with those who do.