Go outside and get some fresh air

Good morning! You’ve got the following to look forward to this week: 1) more cherry blossoms blooming (go out and find some this weekend!), 2) no longer worrying about a solar eclipse ruining your kid’s retinas, and 3) patting yourself on the back because you did your taxes in time. It’s been a banner week. You’ve got this.

Activity of the week

Start a low-effort family hike album: Go outside for a walk with your kiddo, maybe a nearby hiking trail, a local park, or even down the block. Just step outside and walk slowly, even if just for a few minutes, and pay attention to the world around you.

At the end of the walk or hike, take a picture, print it out (at home, at a local store, or pharmacy), write the date on the picture, and start a hiking or walking album. Repeat as often as you’d like and build out that hike album.

Book of the week

“Hike” by Pete Oswald

“Hike” by Pete Oswald is a wordless story about a father and his child sharing memories by spending time outdoors. It’s also the inspiration for the activity of the week! While it's not always possible to get out into the wilderness or onto some trails for long hikes, “Hike” is like a breath of fresh outdoor air and will give you inspiration for small adventures near and far. You just need to get outside and spend some quality time together with no particular agenda or destination. It’s about the journey.

Stat of the week

By the time your child is 13 years old, it’s likely you will have already spent 80% of the time you spend with them in your lifetime. Time with your kid(s) is heavily front loaded in their first decade. As numerous studies have shown, though, quality time matters more than the quantity of time spent.

Thinking about tomorrow, today

Beyond 529B plans, it’s a confusing road to navigate all the financial decisions parents need to make to invest in their children’s financial wellbeing. Companies like EarlyBird are trying to make it simpler to make sure parents and guardians have solid financial footing regardless of their socioeconomic background.

According to EarlyBird’s website, “EarlyBird simplifies the process for parents to kickstart their child's financial future by opening a custodial investment account, while allowing family and friends to remain connected to the children they love by gifting meaningful and sustainable financial contributions for all life's milestones.”

Whether you use something like EarlyBird, 529B plans, or something else, it’s about building a reliable system and process to invest in your children’s financial future. Consistency is key.

Note: This is not financial advice and we are not sponsored by EarlyBird. This is just financial food for thought.

Parenting-ish Headlines

• Bluey is going on an indeterminate hiatus.

• The Autism Investment Fund raised $60 million to help invest in startups that address unmet needs across the continuum of Autism Spectrum Disorder and related conditions.

• This Japanese company will stop producing disposable diapers for babies in September to focus on manufacturing adult diapers due to Japan’s aging demographic.

We’ll google it for you

What the heck is “rizz”? According to our internet friends at Urban Dictionary, Rizz comes from the word charisma. In southern Baltimore it was shortened to "rizzma" (the noun replacing charisma) and to "rizz" (the action of showing charisma).

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