As many face the sudden need to keep their kids happy and learning during this time of stress and uncertainty, I thought I would try to offer some words of guidance based on my own years of homeschool experience.
Finding spaciousness in a gap year
Our youngest is in the midst of a gap year before heading to college. I will admit that I was a bit nervous at first. It is hard to resist the urge to press on, keep the ball rolling, avoid idleness at all costs. But all that pressure can sometimes backfire and then it becomes so very obvious that taking a breath, taking a step back, finding some time to really contemplate the next move is what is called for.
Going back to ballet
Giving Kids the Gift of Financial Independence
Charitable Giving for the Whole Family
Thanks for the excellent questions
Baby Steps in a Grown Up World
No doubt about it, being the parent of a young child is exhausting. I remember when my three children were all in the single digit age range looking with envy at the parents with older kids, how they could cross the street without holding your hand, actually help with the shopping instead of randomly pulling things off shelves, really help with dinner... What I did not realize was how parenting work continues well into the young-adulthood phase (and beyond).
Life skills are no joke! These days it seems that there should be a course taught in high school that covers everything that young adults will be required to do, from setting up online accounts, protecting online security, registering for courses, dealing with the DMV. Then there is just basic organization, like where to keep track of all those important documents. These are not specifically "financial" skills, but they dovetail nicely into developing healthy financial habits, like checking bank statements and credit reports to signing up for benefits when you land that first good job.
As an avowed non-helicopter parent, I still have a hard time sitting on my hands while I watch my kids struggle with the "grown up" stuff they need to deal with. However, I have learned from experience, that it is best to let them figure it out with minimal interference and to seek out opportunities for them to practice at responsibility whenever possible.
Just this week I stood by while my oldest navigated health insurance decisions, my middle one figured out how to log in and pay his own cell phone bill and my youngest figured out how to apply and pay for a parking permit for the summer school class he is taking at the local college. As I witnessed all of these events, I was struck by how much there is to navigate, how far each of them has come and how far each still has to go before they will be fully confident and I can say they have officially launched into adulthood.
I am so proud of each of my three different, amazing children. I feel honored to have been given the blessed opportunity to share in each one's unique journey so far. As they spread their wings, I will still worry, but I have no doubt that they will each find their way.
Jennipher Lommen is a Certified Financial Planner TM and Enrolled Agent who offers comprehensive financial planning and tax advice to clients in Santa Cruz, CA and beyond.
