Stressed as a parent?

No- and low-cost ways to educate and entertain kids

Having children is a great joy, but it also can be stressful. Pressures are plentiful, from making sure your child has the right gear to needing to help manage their school and social schedules. To intensify matters, COVID-19 has brought quarantines and social distancing around the world, and parents are now tasked with educating and entertaining their kids more than ever before.

Financial stress is growing dramatically. A whopping 71% of parents are worried about their personal finances right now, and 81% describe their level of parenting stress as medium or high, according to the OfferUp 2020 Parents and Kids Recommerce Report.

In addition to financial concerns, there is a multitude of challenges for parents during these unique times. Keeping kids entertained at home is the No. 1 cause of stress for parents during the pandemic, followed by educating their children at home, the study found.

Keeping kids on top of their studies as well as happily entertained doesn’t require spending a lot of money. Consider these low- and no-cost ways to keep your children occupied at home:

SEEK FREE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES Go online to discover a variety of high-quality educational websites. Many museums are now offering virtual tours and online educational classes to engage kids of all ages. Educational websites such as Khan Academy and Sesame Street offer no-cost learning materials. Remember to sign up for newsletters from parenting organizations as well to get free activity ideas sent right to your email.

It’s also smart to reach out to your children’s school or local community center to explore options. Some offer memberships to websites that they can share so you can access material at no cost. Additionally, you can call and ask your local library about digital storytimes and virtual classes they might be holding, which can be a fun way to connect kids with others while they learn.

FIND WHAT YOU NEED THROUGH LOCAL RESALE OPPORTUNITIES Have your kids played with all their toys and need some new supplies? Parents are turning to online resale marketplaces such as OfferUp to buy baby and kids items during the coronavirus pandemic with the goal to save money, make more sustainable purchasing decisions and support their local communities. Whether it’s a new toy or a necessary supply, you can find just what you need for less.

You can also consider selling what you no longer use and make some money as a family. OfferUp is the largest mobile marketplace in the nation for local buyers and sellers and it’s as easy as taking a picture with your phone to sell items and then meet with local people in a safe, secure manner. Millions of people buy and sell on OfferUp every year, and billions of dollars’ worth of items are exchanged. Why not make it a family effort to clean out rooms, sell unused items and save toward a group goal?

DON’T FORGET TRADITIONAL FUN AND ACTS OF KINDNESS Old-fashioned fun is low cost and keeps kids entertained. Have family game nights and bust out the board games, work on puzzles together or start a crafting project. Go outside to play yard games, catch or kick around a soccer ball. Work on a time capsule, scrapbook or teach your children a hobby. Think about all the things older generations did to stay busy when people spent less time online and find your inspiration.

To help spread positivity when so many people are stressed, consider simple things you can do from afar to spread cheer. Kids will enjoy brainstorming acts of kindness, and most don’t cost anything. For example, write inspiring messages on the sidewalk for people to see as they walk by, or color pictures to send to a local nursing home for residents who may not be able to receive visitors.

Keeping kids educated and entertained while at home shouldn’t cause financial stress. Follow these tips to save money and keep kids happy.

Recommerce or reverse commerce, refers to the process of selling previously owned, new or used products. (BPT)

Experience farm life! Explore restored farm buildings, visit with farm animals, stroll through 100+ acres of historic and modern rural landscapes and climb up on a vintage tractor near the fruit orchard. Exciting and educational activities await you in the farmyard!

All ages are welcome to participate in Animal Adventures! Ages 15 & under must be accompanied by an adult. Advance registration required. Face coverings required. Purchase tickets at https://stcparks. ticketleap.com/. For more details, call 630-513-4374.

FEED THE GOATS

Get up close and personal with goats! Stop by the office for a feeding stick and some delicious goat treats, and you will be on your way. Merle and Norman can’t wait to see you!

FEED THE CHICKENS

Great for young children to get hands-on experience! Stop by the office to pick up a feeding stick and marvel as the chickens flock to you and your feed.

Spend your morning cozying up to the Primrose cows! Meet these lovely ladies and discover what goes into dairying – the breeding, raising and milking of dairy animals. Then get up close and personal with one of the ‘fresh’ cows and try your hand at milking.

CHICKEN & EGG

See, hear and touch the Columbian Wyandotte chickens that call Primrose home and help gather farm-fresh eggs straight from the nest. All pickers take home a share of the eggs collected!

HOLD YOUR HORSES

Crazy about horses? Here’s your chance to mingle with some gentle giants—the Primrose Farm Belgian draft horses. Explore basic grooming techniques and learn about equine care practices of today and yesterday.

FEED THE ANIMALS

Please feed the animals! It’s not often you’ll hear this said on a farm. Get a unique behind-the-scenes opportunity to help feed the farm’s resident animals. Learn about the care and feeding of livestock and how their specialized diets vary throughout the year.

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eing a young, expecting parent is such an exciting time! There are so many things to prepare for and they seem to all be additional demands on top of an already busy life. Thinking back at that stage of life I laugh at the incredible focus we put on the preparation of the room our newborn would be coming home to. Partially driven by hormones, partially by the excitement of it all, that room became a bit of an obsession.

As is often the case, focusing on a tangible task can be much easier than an intangible one even if the intangible is much more important. As important as the nursery is, of greater importance is getting your financial house in order as you prepare for the responsibilities of brining a new, precious life into the world. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

INSURING A STABLE FUTURE FOR YOUR FAMILY

HEALTH INSURANCE:

Start thinking about health insurance long before the baby arrives. Find out about copays, deductibles, and premiums before you start going to doctor’s appointments and having diagnostic tests done. You’ll also need to determine how much of the delivery costs are covered as well as the baby’s coverage after it’s born. Babies are usually covered under their mother’s insurance for a period of time following the birth, but make sure you add the baby within 30 days, or else you may have to wait until the next open enrollment period.

LIFE INSURANCE:

Now that you have a child depending on you, you’ll need insurance to provide for your family if your income is lost. You should also take out a life insurance policy for your spouse even if he or she stays at home to care for the child— take into account the value of a stay-at-home parent’s services and how much it would cost to pay someone else to do it. Consult your financial advisor to help determine both the amount of insurance your family will need as well as the type you should purchase. There are pros and cons to both term and permanent insurance and for many a combination of the two is the best fit.

DISABILITY INSURANCE:

During your prime income earning years, you’re much more likely to suffer a debilitating accident or disease than you are to die. This makes disability insurance equally important to ensure your family’s financial well-being. Your employee benefits may provide some disability protection but often not at the level you would actually need necessitating supplemental coverage.

INVESTMENT CONSIDERATIONS

If you are likeIwas, the realization that another life depends on you financially can be overwhelming. Your goals and investing strategy will pr ob ably need t o change when y ou bec ome a p ar ent, but no t nec ess arily in the w ay s y ou’ re e xpecting.

BE REALIS TIC:

It ma y no t be possible t o c ontinue t o in ve st as much while budgeting fo r the ne w e xpenses tha t c ome with being a ne w p ar ent so it is impor ta nt t o be r ea listic. T ry no t t o f ocus all o f y our mone y and attention on baby spending, and don’t ignore your long-term savings goals completely. Your first priority will have to be day-to-day spending and budgeting, followed by your retirement savings. When these two goals are being met, you can add your child’s college education as a third priority.

EDUCATIONAL SAVINGS:

Its tempting to put your child’s education fund first. There’s nothing wrong with putting your children first, but abandoning your investing goals in favor ofachild’s education is actually not putting the child first—if you retire with nothing, your child will be left supporting aging parents, which can be much more difficult than funding a fouryear degree. That said, investing in your child’s education early in life isagood idea if you can afford it. Compound interest can be just as magical for your child’s college savings as for your retirement account. Consult your financial advisor to review options and to develop a strategy. Because the Unexpected Happens… Despite careful preparation we found ourselves scrambling when our kids were born. Due to complications neither was carried to term with Mary arriving at 4 lbs. 10 oz. and Jack at only 1 lb. 8 oz. Thankfully we were able to focus on their care without distraction as we had our financial house in order and both have grown up to be fine adults. Hoping that the ideas shared here are helpful as you travel down the exciting road of parenthood and we welcome your call if we can be of service.

This material is intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal or tax advice and is not intended to replace the advice ofaqualified attorney, tax advisor or plan provider. FILE#2462400.1

 Tom McCartney is theFoundingPrincipal ofMyAdvisor& Planneranda registered representative andinvestmentadvisory representative withM Securities.Investments insecuritiesinvolve risks,includingthe possiblelossofprincipal.MyAdvisor& Plannerisindependentlyownedandoperated. McCartney andhisteamcanbereachedat info@mapyourfuture.netor 630-457-4068.

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Securities andInvestmentAdvisory Services offered through M Holdings Securities, Inc. (MemberFINRA/SIPC). MyAdvisor& Planneris independentlyownedandoperated.

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