I have to brag a little about my daughter. Earlier this year during the shutdown we were going through a bunch of stuff in her room. She made a comment about how she had a ton of stuff she never plays with. Fast forward 3 months and we had a drive by 7th Birthday party for her for family. Family drove by, grabbed a couple slices of pizza and some cupcakes and dropped off a gift/card. Here is the part that makes me amazed by my daughter. She put a note in her invite asking for money instead of toys because she wanted to donate the money to the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital and our local food bank. All said and done she will be able to donate 175 bucks to the children's hospital and 175 to the food bank. That 175 for the food bank will make 700 meals as 1 dollar will feed 4 people. This was 100% her idea. Don't know that I've ever been more proud as a parent. The children's hospital thing came from my niece and nephew being born at lik 24 weeks and spending the first 5 months of their life there so the hospital holds a special place in our hearts as well. PS her actual birthday is in 2 weeks and she is getting something. The only thing she really wanted this year besides donation moneybwasba fish. So we are getting her a small aquarium with a fish.
My eldest daughter doesn’t live with me. This morning she called me because there was a huge spider in her place. She called me to go kill it. I was asleep when she called but I got up got dressed and went over and killed it. When I was leaving she gave me a kiss and said thank you and I love you. I told her I loved her too and that should be obvious by me waking up driving over and killing the spider. She replied “I know daddy that’s why I called you, I knew you’d come”. It melted my heart knowing she knows she can count on me. I am by no ways a new dad but I still find joy in fatherhood. Obvious point will be obvious but you never stop being a dad. They never stop needing you.
I almost want to create a Twitch account for my 5 yr old, because watching and listening to him play video games is hilarious.
1/3 has reached the age where she’s old and smart enough to make some really good burns but not old enough to accept counter fire. I’ve had to swallow a number of comebacks the last few weeks.
I use Vanguard’s and it is based in Arizona or something I believe. I don’t anticipate my kid going to college where we live now so I didn’t look that hard at state specific ones. Vanguard was fairly straightforward to set up. It required $3000 initial balance which was more than I expected. It also has a shareable link you can send people for one-time or recurring contributions.
I have a 529 for each of my girls. When I started the first almost 3 years ago, my finance guy said Utah was performing best so that's who I went through. Super simple to set up on your own, don't bother paying someone to do it.
Thanks. Ohio's looks pretty easy to setup and the min to start is like $25. I did check and he doesn't have to live in state or go to school in state to have access to it Only question I couldn't find an answer to. What if he decides to not go to college/trade school or tuition becomes free? I can access the funds and just get taxed on it?
i have 529s set up through fidelity with monthly automatic deposits. not putting near enough in right now but going to increase heavily once the kids are out of daycare. occasionally my parents would deposit money in. But my mom got laid off from Covid and my Dad retired so i'm not expecting many more of those.
Did that with the 2% back credit card. My parents got the cc and deposit their 2% in the accounts, as well. It's not a ton but over an entire childhood it adds up.
I have the CA 529 plan. Low fees and decent flexibility beyond just doing a target date find (which is also offered).
We have zero dollars in a 529. I always planned on paying for college out of the pool of long term investments I’ve had for the last 15 years. Pulling that money out to seed a 529 would be expensive from a tax perspective and limit what we could use the money for. Am I making a mistake with this strategy?
I believe you’d pay taxes, perhaps a penalty, on gains that are used for non-education expenses. You can certainly do it but you lose the tax advantage of the 529. You’re gonna have to pay taxes on those investments at some point right? I don’t know how old your kid(s) is but why not just start a 529 now if you think they’ll get a post high school education? Even if you just start contributing now and don’t cash out other funds, at least then you’ll have a tax advantaged account to use first.
We don’t really have the income for an extra expense right now. Maybe when my wife goes back to work in a few years.
Also keep in mind that a 529 isn't only for tuition I imagine that a person could make a laptop or tablet count as equipment. Also since the 529 is not tied to the student, if you had another kid you could use the money for them. And NoNatty is right about the fee and tax.
Son got in trouble today at kindergarten for not listening. I've always had my thought that maybe he wasn't ready since he has a July birthday. Feel like we may have some more of these days going forward till he gains some traction.
I've mentioned this before I think but I knew a lady that bought a house where her daughter went to college and then had her daughter and her daughter's friends rent it out. She paid her daughter's rent to herself with the 529 money because it can go to room and board, too.
Not 1/3 but my cousins kid got her 5-year all clear from childhood leukaemia yesterday, so she's officially cured and just needs an annual checkup from now on!
My 5 year old’s ‘best’ friend is the spoiled kid with all the electronics. They only talk over FaceTime because the other kid’s parents are borderline truthers who eat at restaurants, go to the gym, etc. Yesterday, on the phone, the kid said he got a new iPad. Today, after virtual school, my kid said he’s going to ask Santa for an iPad. I yaofaced and told him Santa won’t be bringing him an iPad for many years. He’s been crying for the last 30 minutes. Mission accomplished.
we have a Kindle that is dead 95% of the time. we bought it for a car trip. 3 year old has no idea he can play games on it but he likes to watch Blaze on long trips.
Does anyone send their kids to a summer camp? My daughter who is 6, turning 7 before next summer really wants to go to an away summer camp for a week or two this summer. We've looked at a few, but it seems like they all have some religious connection. She goes to a catholic school but we're not religious at all so was hoping to find some that are just fun activities, without god.
When did y’all stop bottles? 16 month old basically requires them to go to sleep and my wife is adamant about stopping.
12 months. if they’re eating solids they don’t really need the bottle anymore. at least that is what our pediatrician beat into our head. was rough with the first one but the second just dealt with it and moved on
T My older one didn’t suck his thumb, use a pacifier, or anything. His only “self” soothing was with a bottle. He used it to go to sleep until he was three. We talked about it, took it away, and he was fine after a few days. Like most everything with parenting...it doesn’t really matter.
That’s kinda my thought, and she’s very similar. I’m far more concerned with my kid going to sleep without a struggle than what she’s “supposed” to do.
my 18 month old sucks her thumb almost constantly. my son never did it. i'm not sure how or when we are going to get her to stop doing that.
Forgot how terrible it is to have an infant. Would love to fast forward to when he doesn't wake up multiple times between 1am-6am
Son has to have his tubes removed Friday. My wife is freaking out about him having to be put under. I've tried reasoning with her but still worked up. Sometimes I just want beat my head against a concrete wall.....
This sounds glorious. When does this start to happen? Our first is 2 weeks old. I’ve never been so tired.
Depends on the child. Ours is 7 months old and he still wakes up at least once between 1 am and 6 am. My brother's daughter who's 11 months old has slept through the night since she was about 4 months old.
First grader got his first non 100 score on a spelling test because he capitalized a word that wasn't the first in a sentence, 5 points off. Not a single piece of homework she has sent home has had anything about capitalization or sentences at all. I was kinda pissed.
15month old had to get IV'd + sedated last week, wasn't a fun experience but thankfully everything went well. PICU doc says "this is the same drug that Michael Jackson made famous, but we're giving her much much less". Ok cool thanks man.