Coda

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

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

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

21

Family & Home Finances

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

16

Family & Home Finances

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

15, 19, 21

Finances Relationships & Career

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

12, 15, 17, 21

Finances

Keep going. It’s never, NEVER hopeless.

14, 16, 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

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

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

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

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

A man is not a financial plan.

17

Finances 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

Open a Bank Account

8-12

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

Paying extra for organic isn’t always worth it but I ALWAYS buy organic apples. They taste better and don’t have the pesticides, etc.

18

Family & Home Sports, Health, Safety & Appearance 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

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

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

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

Check out the Jesuit Volunteer Corp. A short but deeply meaningful immersion into service, faith in action, selflessness and living on a lot less than you think you need.

19

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

Some people have more money than sense. Just because u can afford something doesn’t mean you should buy it.

15

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

“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

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

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

15

Finances

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

7-17

Character, Education & Self-Reliance Finances

1

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

Keep going. It’s never, NEVER hopeless.

Create.

Team them about all the good stuff in life

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.

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

A man is not a financial plan.

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

Open a Bank Account

Consider the costs of inaction.

Paying extra for organic isn’t always worth it but I ALWAYS buy organic apples. They taste better and don’t have the pesticides, etc.

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

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.

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.

Check out the Jesuit Volunteer Corp. A short but deeply meaningful immersion into service, faith in action, selflessness and living on a lot less than you think you need.

Some people have more money than sense. Just because u can afford something doesn’t mean you should buy 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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.