Coda

We are all so precious. Each one of us. Let that be the lesson.

2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 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

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

19

Family & Home Finances

Work on developing a “no shortcuts” mode. Looking for a faster/easier/bare-minimum option isn’t always bad. People get paid a lot of money for creating efficacy. But there are times when that approach is wrong. Anything you want to grow from (relationships, school, work, wealth, health, knowledge, etc.) those things deserve your full effort, focus and dedication. Play. Definitely play! But don’t f*ck around.

12, 14, 15, 18, 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

Let’s talk about how we can bless people - with what we have and by how we act.

7

Character, Education & Self-Reliance Faith & Philosophy 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

Check out from the library or Amazon: “My First Money Book: A Guide for Parents and Children to Saving, Spending, Sharing, and Investing Your Money” by Reggie Nelson

8

Finances

Start “home economics” school with them. Laundry, cleaning, cooking, how to change a diaper, comfort a baby, soothe a toddler, what's involved in caring for pets, budgeting for food, keeping track of maintenance schedules for humans, pets, cars and machines. Engage with guests, be a good host, etc. Know when and how to tell someone to GTFO of the house (racist or misogynistic speech, etc.) Every kid needs to learn the art and science of home management. Look for and point out examples in books and movies of good home science skills.

5, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 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 Nature, Animals & the Environment Social Justice, Civics & Humanitarianism Relationships & Career

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

open your own business

20

Finances

Make a separate piggie bank together for money to donate. Talk about how we manage what we have thoughtfully: Save some, spend some, donate some.

5-8

Finances

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

"Watch the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves." - Ben Franklin This works with money and with other areas: Be faithful in the little things and the bigger things will take care of themselves. For example, if you don't get comfortable with telling little lies then you'll never tell big lies.

9, 13, 19

Character, Education & Self-Reliance Faith & Philosophy Finances

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

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

21

Family & Home Finances

Start saving for retirement with your very first paycheck. Put away the MAX, you’ll never miss it. If the company doesn’t offer 401k then we’ll open a Roth IRA.

18

Finances

Buy life insurance when you're young.

21

Finances

Surround yourself with people who are genuinely trying to make the world a better place. You’ll be in good company.

12, 14, 16, 19. 21

Family & Home Character, Education & Self-Reliance 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

There’s always a temptation to throw money at your problem. But remember there’s nothing you can buy that will make up for what is really needed. And the stuff that accumulates while you try to fix the problem just ends up being a problem on its own.

14, 19

Family & Home Character, Education & Self-Reliance Finances Emotional Development & Mental Health 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

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

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

15

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

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

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

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

15, 21

Finances

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

17

Family & Home Finances

Start saving money early. Save as much as you can. There are plenty of things worth spending your money on, but be mindful about your money - Don’t p*ss it away.

15, 20

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

“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

We are all so precious. Each one of us. Let that be the lesson.

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

Let’s talk about how we can bless people - with what we have and by how we act.

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

Check out from the library or Amazon: “My First Money Book: A Guide for Parents and Children to Saving, Spending, Sharing, and Investing Your Money” by Reggie Nelson

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.

open your own business

Make a separate piggie bank together for money to donate. Talk about how we manage what we have thoughtfully: Save some, spend some, donate some.

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.

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.

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

Start saving for retirement with your very first paycheck. Put away the MAX, you’ll never miss it. If the company doesn’t offer 401k then we’ll open a Roth IRA.

Buy life insurance when you're young.

Surround yourself with people who are genuinely trying to make the world a better place. You’ll be in good company.

There’s always a temptation to throw money at your problem. But remember there’s nothing you can buy that will make up for what is really needed. And the stuff that accumulates while you try to fix the problem just ends up being a problem on its own.

You’ll never regret staying calm.

Team them about all the good stuff in life

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

Start saving money early. Save as much as you can. There are plenty of things worth spending your money on, but be mindful about your money - Don’t p*ss it away.

“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.

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

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.