>Sha na na na, Sha na na na na….

“I really hate having no money,” my 18-year-old stepdaughter grumbled a few nights ago over dinner.

“All my friends have debit cards, and whenever they want something, they just whip them out and buy it,” she continued.

“Wow,” Hubs said mildly. “Must be nice.”

“It’s because they have jobs, and the money they make just goes right onto their cards,” she said.

“Well, you should get a job,” I suggested. “Then you’d have money, too.”

“Um, no,” she responded. “I mean, everyone I know who works hates their jobs.”

“They love the money, though,” I responded.

“I’ll have to work for the rest of my life. I’d rather not work now, thanks.” She gave us all a dark look and lapsed into a moody silence.

My stepdaughter has been looking forward to turning 18 for months, as if magically, she would become an adult and life would really begin. So far, though, 18 hasn’t been all it was cracked up to be. And I remember feeling exactly the same way at her age.

She was accepted yesterday into the college of her choice. The rest of senior year will consist of tying up loose ends and preparing for a new life that she can’t even imagine right now. It’s sort of a tough time- She knows her next step, but must wait another eight months to take it.

In the meantime, maybe she should, um… get a job. Heh.

This post originally appeared on Parents.com.