Coda

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

I once asked my mom if my grandmother (her mother in law) was rich. Her reply: “No, but she likes to think she is.” I think she meant my grandmother spent money like she had plenty of it when she really did not. Can relate. I hope you do better!

14, 21

Finances

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

15, 21

Finances

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

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

Change is scary. But scary doesn’t equal bad. I don’t know what it’s going to look like but I know you will figure it out. You’re going to be okay no matter what curveballs you’re faced with. Stay calm. Be kind and respectful to everyone and every thing, including (especially) yourself. xoxo

5, 10, 15, 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

“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

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

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

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

Have them sort change, and eventually to count it. It teaches them to gather things that are alike, it's an introduction to money and it occupies them for 15 minutes! Just make sure they're old enough to be past the point of putting coins in their mouth.

3-5

Science, Technology, Skills & General Knowledge Finances

Set up automatic payments so they are initiated on your end, so that you send out money to the bill/ company you’re paying instead of giving them access to take money out of your account.

20

Finances

Practice “going without.” Talk about how nobody gets what they want all the time. We should learn how to just choose to go without something we want. Get them in on the discussion and pick something every day to do without.

5-9

Family & Home Character, Education & Self-Reliance Finances

Enjoy your success but don’t flaunt it.

21

Character, Education & Self-Reliance Finances

Beware that when you’re first exposed to a new thing: a car, a college tour, house, etc. you will feel AMAZING and totally seduced by the shiny newness. Be cool. Remember that glitters is not gold. Things don’t need to be perfect and even if the house is it doesn’t mean life will be.

15, 18, 21

Character, Education & Self-Reliance Finances

Open a Bank Account

8-12

Finances

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

Don’t waste big money on little things. Be intentional about what you spend.

16, 21

Finances

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

Try not to confuse excess with quality. It’s okay not to have the biggest house on the block. It’s okay not to drive the fanciest car.

21

Family & Home Finances

“You don’t get what you deserve. You get what you negotiate.” - name escapes me

15, 19, 21

Finances Relationships & Career

There is a cost and a duty to everything we own. Rachel Maddow

16

Family & Home Finances

“Pay yourself first” means save before you spend. You never know when you’ll need to tap into savings, so build it up early and heartily.

18

Finances

“It takes about 20 years to build a reputation and 5 minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” - Warren Buffett

12, 14, 16, 19, 21

Character, Education & Self-Reliance 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

Micro-internships. Check out Parker Dewey for ideas.

16, 17, 18

Character, Education & Self-Reliance Finances Relationships & Career

open your own business

20

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

“Consistency feels boring until you witness what it creates.” True for parenting and true for growing.

1, 2, 3, 4, 12, 14, 16, 21

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

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

Consider the costs of inaction.

I once asked my mom if my grandmother (her mother in law) was rich. Her reply: “No, but she likes to think she is.” I think she meant my grandmother spent money like she had plenty of it when she really did not. Can relate. I hope you do better!

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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.

Have them sort change, and eventually to count it. It teaches them to gather things that are alike, it's an introduction to money and it occupies them for 15 minutes! Just make sure they're old enough to be past the point of putting coins in their mouth.

Set up automatic payments so they are initiated on your end, so that you send out money to the bill/ company you’re paying instead of giving them access to take money out of your account.

Practice “going without.” Talk about how nobody gets what they want all the time. We should learn how to just choose to go without something we want. Get them in on the discussion and pick something every day to do without.

Enjoy your success but don’t flaunt it.

Beware that when you’re first exposed to a new thing: a car, a college tour, house, etc. you will feel AMAZING and totally seduced by the shiny newness. Be cool. Remember that glitters is not gold. Things don’t need to be perfect and even if the house is it doesn’t mean life will be.

Open a Bank Account

You’ll never regret staying calm.

Don’t waste big money on little things. Be intentional about what you spend.

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

Try not to confuse excess with quality. It’s okay not to have the biggest house on the block. It’s okay not to drive the fanciest car.

“You don’t get what you deserve. You get what you negotiate.” - name escapes me

There is a cost and a duty to everything we own. Rachel Maddow

“Pay yourself first” means save before you spend. You never know when you’ll need to tap into savings, so build it up early and heartily.

“It takes about 20 years to build a reputation and 5 minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” - Warren Buffett

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.

Micro-internships. Check out Parker Dewey for ideas.

open your own business

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.

“Consistency feels boring until you witness what it creates.” True for parenting and true for growing.

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.

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.