Coda

You remember experiences, connections. Not stuff. Don’t get too caught up in stuff.

12, 15, 17, 21

Finances

Save where you can. Spend when you have to. Splurge every once in a while.

15, 21

Finances

The bull-sht never ends. Dealing with the bull-sht IS your job. If you think you’ll ever reach a “post-bullsh*t stage in your life, you’re wrong.

12, 15, 19, 21

Family & Home Character, Education & Self-Reliance Finances Emotional Development & Mental Health Social Justice, Civics & Humanitarianism Relationships & Career

Team them about all the good stuff in life

5-10

Family & Home Character, Education & Self-Reliance Sports, Health, Safety & Appearance Arts, Literature & Self Expression Science, Technology, Skills & General Knowledge Fun, Adventure & Travel Faith & Philosophy Finances Emotional Development & Mental Health Nature, Animals & the Environment Social Justice, Civics & Humanitarianism Relationships & Career

You’ll never regret staying calm. Keeping your cool is a skill that you can build, and it will serve you in every single aspect of life.

11-21

Family & Home Character, Education & Self-Reliance Sports, Health, Safety & Appearance Arts, Literature & Self Expression Science, Technology, Skills & General Knowledge Fun, Adventure & Travel Faith & Philosophy Finances Emotional Development & Mental Health Nature, Animals & the Environment Social Justice, Civics & Humanitarianism Relationships & Career

Get at least 2, preferably 3 estimates on any major expenses for home or car.

21

Family & Home Finances

Start a yearly “review” right before school year. Raise allowance as appropriate. If they want more money, they’ll have to take on more responsibilities.

8

Character, Education & Self-Reliance Finances

Consider the costs of inaction.

12, 15, 18, 21

Character, Education & Self-Reliance Sports, Health, Safety & Appearance Arts, Literature & Self Expression Fun, Adventure & Travel Finances Emotional Development & Mental Health Nature, Animals & the Environment Social Justice, Civics & Humanitarianism Relationships & Career

Sponsor a child in a developing country. Write letters, learn about their country and their life.

8

Faith & Philosophy Finances Social Justice, Civics & Humanitarianism

Take the family on periodic “spending fasts.” As an exercise, go a day, a weekend or a week without spending any money. Make due with what you have. Encourage participation. Tie in spending fasts with holidays, lent or in support of a cause.

7

Family & Home Finances

It’s fine, great, to be thrifty. But please don’t be cheap. Hard-earned money should neither be squandered or hoarded. Enjoy your success! But save more than you’re comfortable with. It’s like my running coach used to say: Keep going until you feel like you’re gonna poop your pants, then push yourself to do another mile. Point is, it should hurt a little.

16, 21

Finances

Begin planning trip for 10th bday. Maybe to Atlantis in Bahamas or someplace he’d be excited about._____Get him involved in planning and saving.

8

Finances

Let the best part of yourself take the lead when you’re making decisions.

10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 21

Family & Home Character, Education & Self-Reliance Sports, Health, Safety & Appearance Arts, Literature & Self Expression Fun, Adventure & Travel Faith & Philosophy Finances Emotional Development & Mental Health Nature, Animals & the Environment Social Justice, Civics & Humanitarianism Relationships & Career

“The most important thing in any relationship is not what you get, it’s what you give.” -Eleanor Roosevelt

10, 13, 15, 17, 20, 21

Family & Home Character, Education & Self-Reliance Sports, Health, Safety & Appearance Arts, Literature & Self Expression Science, Technology, Skills & General Knowledge Fun, Adventure & Travel Faith & Philosophy Finances Emotional Development & Mental Health Nature, Animals & the Environment Social Justice, Civics & Humanitarianism Relationships & Career

A man is not a financial plan.

17

Finances Relationships & Career

Read "You Can’t buy a Dinosaur with a Dime" by Harriet Ziefert. Teaches kids about earning money through work, making choices, even paying taxes!

9

Arts, Literature & Self Expression Finances

May you make yourself proud every day. That’s my wish for you. (I will always be proud of you.) xoxo

9, 14, 21

Sports, Health, Safety & Appearance Arts, Literature & Self Expression Science, Technology, Skills & General Knowledge Fun, Adventure & Travel Faith & Philosophy Finances Nature, Animals & the Environment Social Justice, Civics & Humanitarianism Relationships & Career

Have a charity lemonade stand. Pediatric cancer research, immigrant children, etc. Lots of problems...Let them be involved in part of the solution.

7-10

Character, Education & Self-Reliance Finances Social Justice, Civics & Humanitarianism

Create.

10, 14, 17, 21

Family & Home Character, Education & Self-Reliance Sports, Health, Safety & Appearance Arts, Literature & Self Expression Science, Technology, Skills & General Knowledge Fun, Adventure & Travel Faith & Philosophy Finances Emotional Development & Mental Health Nature, Animals & the Environment Social Justice, Civics & Humanitarianism Relationships & Career

Grandpa used to keep a hundred dollar bill stashed discreetly in his wallet “for emergencies.”

17

Family & Home Finances

Throw leftovers and some cut up veggies in an omelette/ frittata. Cuts down on food waste and saves money.

17

Family & Home Finances Nature, Animals & the Environment

Be discerning about your sources of information. Some red flags: Too good to be true. Get rich quick. Chosen race. Any race or group blamed for societal problems. Fear of change. Threats of real or metaphysical harm (I.e. $@!#%) or bribes with reward.

12, 14, 16. 18, 21

Family & Home Character, Education & Self-Reliance Sports, Health, Safety & Appearance Arts, Literature & Self Expression Science, Technology, Skills & General Knowledge Fun, Adventure & Travel Faith & Philosophy Finances Emotional Development & Mental Health Nature, Animals & the Environment Social Justice, Civics & Humanitarianism Relationships & Career

You’ll never regret staying calm.

12, 14, 17, 21

Family & Home Character, Education & Self-Reliance Sports, Health, Safety & Appearance Fun, Adventure & Travel Faith & Philosophy Finances Emotional Development & Mental Health Nature, Animals & the Environment Social Justice, Civics & Humanitarianism Relationships & Career

Misquoting someone here: “It’s not about getting everything you want, it’s about giving everything you have.” Stuff will never satisfy. Pouring yourself into something heart and soul will.

16, 21

Family & Home Character, Education & Self-Reliance Finances

Check out the website Brightly for timely and age-appropriate book recommendations. All sorts of subjects and themes.

5-12

Arts, Literature & Self Expression Fun, Adventure & Travel Finances Emotional Development & Mental Health Social Justice, Civics & Humanitarianism

If you can’t afford to tip the server, you can’t afford to be there.

15

Finances

open your own business

20

Finances

You can change your approach without changing your vision. Stay flexible. Things rarely go how we expect them to.

15, 19, 21

Family & Home Character, Education & Self-Reliance Sports, Health, Safety & Appearance Arts, Literature & Self Expression Science, Technology, Skills & General Knowledge Fun, Adventure & Travel Faith & Philosophy Finances Emotional Development & Mental Health Nature, Animals & the Environment Social Justice, Civics & Humanitarianism Relationships & Career

Set up a 529 plan. Virginia has a great plan if you don't want to do too much research https://www.savingforcollege.com/

birth-age 3

Finances

Make a pound of ground beef go further by adding chopped cabbage or mushrooms.

19

Family & Home Finances

You remember experiences, connections. Not stuff. Don’t get too caught up in stuff.

Save where you can. Spend when you have to. Splurge every once in a while.

The bull-sh*t never ends. Dealing with the bull-sh*t IS your job. If you think you’ll ever reach a “post-bullsh*t stage in your life, you’re wrong.

Team them about all the good stuff in life

You’ll never regret staying calm. Keeping your cool is a skill that you can build, and it will serve you in every single aspect of life.

Get at least 2, preferably 3 estimates on any major expenses for home or car.

Start a yearly “review” right before school year. Raise allowance as appropriate. If they want more money, they’ll have to take on more responsibilities.

Consider the costs of inaction.

Sponsor a child in a developing country. Write letters, learn about their country and their life.

Take the family on periodic “spending fasts.” As an exercise, go a day, a weekend or a week without spending any money. Make due with what you have. Encourage participation. Tie in spending fasts with holidays, lent or in support of a cause.

Begin planning trip for 10th bday. Maybe to Atlantis in Bahamas or someplace he’d be excited about._____Get him involved in planning and saving.

Let the best part of yourself take the lead when you’re making decisions.

“The most important thing in any relationship is not what you get, it’s what you give.” -Eleanor Roosevelt

A man is not a financial plan.

Read "You Can’t buy a Dinosaur with a Dime" by Harriet Ziefert. Teaches kids about earning money through work, making choices, even paying taxes!

May you make yourself proud every day. That’s my wish for you. (I will always be proud of you.) xoxo

Have a charity lemonade stand. Pediatric cancer research, immigrant children, etc. Lots of problems...Let them be involved in part of the solution.

Create.

Grandpa used to keep a hundred dollar bill stashed discreetly in his wallet “for emergencies.”

Throw leftovers and some cut up veggies in an omelette/ frittata. Cuts down on food waste and saves money.

Be discerning about your sources of information. Some red flags: Too good to be true. Get rich quick. Chosen race. Any race or group blamed for societal problems. Fear of change. Threats of real or metaphysical harm (I.e. $@!#%) or bribes with reward.

You’ll never regret staying calm.

Misquoting someone here: “It’s not about getting everything you want, it’s about giving everything you have.” Stuff will never satisfy. Pouring yourself into something heart and soul will.

Check out the website Brightly for timely and age-appropriate book recommendations. All sorts of subjects and themes.

If you can’t afford to tip the server, you can’t afford to be there.

open your own business

You can change your approach without changing your vision. Stay flexible. Things rarely go how we expect them to.

Set up a 529 plan. Virginia has a great plan if you don't want to do too much research https://www.savingforcollege.com/

Make a pound of ground beef go further by adding chopped cabbage or mushrooms.

The bull-sht never ends. Dealing with the bull-sht IS your job. If you think you’ll ever reach a “post-bullsh*t stage in your life, you’re wrong.