Coda

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

IMPORTANT: If you borrow money from someone pay it back as soon as possible. In full. If you borrow an item, return it in excellent condition. I’d say if you borrow a car, return it with a full tank of gas but hopefully by the time you’re driving there won’t be any combustible engines. So return it fully charged!

12, 14, 16, 21

Finances

open your own business

20

Finances

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

21

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

Failed? Lift yourself up, or live there. You know the work you need to do, be it physical, mental, emotional or spiritual, etc. So do it. Do the work. The only bitterness in failure comes from not having the guts to get back up again.

12, 16, 18, 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

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

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

“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 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

Watch the local news together.

12

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

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

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

19

Family & Home Finances

Enjoy your success but don’t flaunt it.

21

Character, Education & Self-Reliance 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

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

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

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

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

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

"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

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

15, 19, 21

Finances Relationships & Career

Learning to keep your composure and maintain a respectful tone when you’re frustrated/angry/afraid/upset, etc. is a skill. PRACTICE it.

4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 12, 14, 16, 19, 21

Character, Education & Self-Reliance Sports, Health, Safety & Appearance Faith & Philosophy Finances Emotional Development & Mental Health 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

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

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

15, 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

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

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

15

Finances

open your own business

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

“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.

Failed? Lift yourself up, or live there. You know the work you need to do, be it physical, mental, emotional or spiritual, etc. So do it. Do the work. The only bitterness in failure comes from not having the guts to get back up again.

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.

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

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

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.

Watch the local news together.

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

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

Enjoy your success but don’t flaunt it.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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

Learning to keep your composure and maintain a respectful tone when you’re frustrated/angry/afraid/upset, etc. is a skill. PRACTICE it.

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.

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.

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

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.

Create.

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

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.