Kind of random, but....

I

iccyman001

New member
Apr 30, 2014
5,489
Can you guys share any life lessons or tips you have regarding kids.....?

I am a planner on some things and a fly by the seat of my pants on others. I think it\'s a good mix because it keeps me fairly stable.
With that being said, I am trying to plan stuff now that I think I can realistically control. I.E- savings accounts for a car, college, etc.

Then I know there are plenty of things that cannot be planned for, but any extra tips will be MUCH appreciated! :dance2:
 
Dan, as far as the money planning thing, that is never easy. You will always have the expense of something, whether it\'s diapers and wipes early on, baby food, real food, clothes, etc. But it\'s smart of you to start saving while you can. One thing we have done is had grandparents and family put money into the kid\'s college fund for birthdays and Christmas when they were too young to notice not getting a present. Any little bit you can add early on can add up over time.

Outside of the money part, the one thing I\'ll tell you is that you will naturally adapt to being a parent. There is nothing that can really prepare you for it, but at the same time it\'s like a natural part of being human to want to love and take care of your own kid. Do as much as you can to help your wife early on as well. A solid partnership can really help when it comes to trying to find time to sleep with a newborn at home.

When is your wife due again? Isn\'t it around the holidays?

There\'s nothing like being a parent!
 
\"cohunter14\" said:
Dan, as far as the money planning thing, that is never easy. You will always have the expense of something, whether it\'s diapers and wipes early on, baby food, real food, clothes, etc. But it\'s smart of you to start saving while you can. One thing we have done is had grandparents and family put money into the kid\'s college fund for birthdays and Christmas when they were too young to notice not getting a present. Any little bit you can add early on can add up over time.

Outside of the money part, the one thing I\'ll tell you is that you will naturally adapt to being a parent. There is nothing that can really prepare you for it, but at the same time it\'s like a natural part of being human to want to love and take care of your own kid. Do as much as you can to help your wife early on as well. A solid partnership can really help when it comes to trying to find time to sleep with a newborn at home.

When is your wife due again? Isn\'t it around the holidays?

There\'s nothing like being a parent!
Click to expand...

She is due January 1st!


I am a huge budgeter/frugal person, so right now I have a healthy blank baby expense written into every paycheck.
I\'m also covered for this child because the second he or she is born, I am signing over my G.I bill to cover college.
So the plan right now is silimiar to what you said, I\'ll tuck all money that is given from family/friends into an account for stuff down the road.
I\'m also thinking of doing an allotment into it each paycheck... maybe $50? That way when it comes to buying them a car or other large ticket items, I\'ll be prepared.

Thanks for tip #2 as well!!! I\'ll be sure to do as much as I can once he or she comes. This new job in FL will allow me to be more flexible, so I plan on helping in any/every way!
 
You got a good head and good heart and you will make a good parent and dad, Dan... :upthumb: :upthumb:

What Derek said is great... What I\'ve found to be true is being a parent and dad isn\'t easy at times but nothing good is... Enjoy the good times and really enjoy the not so good times...

Planning ahead and seat of the pants is a pretty good way to be... :D :D

Adaption is another thing... See, change and adapt.... You know the drill...

Follow your heart and your head and you\'ll never go wrong... :upthumb: :upthumb: At least most of the time... :lol: :lol:

And always remember, God, family and country in that order even for a long term military man... :upthumb: :upthumb:

If you do what\'s best for the 1st two the third falls in right in place...
 
dont sweat the small stuff, and its almost all small
encourage encourage encourage
i will say, i tried to coach my kids etc while they were young. i spent a ton of time trying to help them get better at whatever they were doing. all they heard was how they were doing it wrong. i would coach again and be a part of what they are doing, but,, i would limit all coaching to coaching times, not at home, ever.
every kid is different, learn to read their bent
as far as money, i wish i had put money back in a retirement account for them. im sure someone on here can do the math for ya but i know if you put back a few thousand while they are young they will be fine when they retire.
trust me, you will be a GREAT dad. dont sweat it.
 
\"bnsafe\" said:
dont sweat the small stuff, and its almost all small
encourage encourage encourage
i will say, i tried to coach my kids etc while they were young. i spent a ton of time trying to help them get better at whatever they were doing. all they heard was how they were doing it wrong. i would coach again and be a part of what they are doing, but,, i would limit all coaching to coaching times, not at home, ever.
every kid is different, learn to read their bent
as far as money, i wish i had put money back in a retirement account for them. im sure someone on here can do the math for ya but i know if you put back a few thousand while they are young they will be fine when they retire.
trust me, you will be a GREAT dad. dont sweat it.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info, Scott!! Some great stuff in here and believe me.... I am listening to you all! :upthumb:
 
For me with 3 boys the College funding was the toughest. Have two that have graduated 4 year schools with diplomas, and have one that has two years left.

Biggest thing I can say is people say \"your kids grow up fast\" You hear that a lot and it doesn\'t really sink in till it happens. Seems like yesterday they where little, today they are adults.

Time is the biggest thing you can give your kids. Spend time with them, do things with them, and they will remember those things when they get older. Money can buy things but there are certain things that money cant buy. So live within your means and don\'t worry about what the others have.............
 
I appreciate the advice Don!
We didn\'t have much growing up compared others in our area, but I can guarantee you that my parents spoiled us with fun, adventures, and memories we will never forget! I plan to do the same.
 
good luck. i\'m not a parent.

i cant imagine what college cost will balloon to in the future. it will be crushing.

if i had a kid, i would go into saving mode ASAP. in my friends eyes, i would probably look like a crap parent. for example, i would NOT throw that ubiquitous 1 year old birthday party. i would take that exact money and squirrel it away. there is no way a 1 year old would remember or enjoy that party. it would quit being about me. no more fancy trucks, minimum exotic hunts and gear. just chug along saving money.

my good friend jokes. he hopes his kid is either really super smart or not smart at all. either he gets scholarship help, or the kid doesn\'t go to college. :)
 
Cliff.... We are two peas in a pod. I refuse to do the early child birthdays.
If family wants to come over I\'ll cook dinner and buy a cake, but that baby has no idea what is going on.


I\'ve been to one year old parties where parents spend over $1000 on it and the baby just slept. NOT HAPPENING.

I\'m a pretty frugal person and I plan on saving as much as I can and just trying to make see my family is taken care of.


One thing I am pumped about is I made rank the same year my baby came into the light. So my raise will more than offset the baby budget, baby savings, etc. so I can still maintain my ridiculous hunting adventures, tuck money away and take care or the family!




BTO caribou hunt.... 2017!
 
I must have grown up some place weird..... when did parents start paying up front for their kids retirement? in order to have a car, I had to have a job to pay for the gas and insurance and half of the car, which at the time was only $250....
dan, just make sure you take them places, not just buy them things..... kids are already spoiled enough today as it is! make memories with them before they path in life sweeps them away!
Colby reminded me of that again yesterday with our duck hunt!
 
If this thread someone drifted in a direction where it made it seem like I\'m just gonna guy my kids everything and spoil them, then this went way wrong!


Gary, I was like you and had to work to pay for all of my insurance, gas and upkeep.
My kids will be doing the same and learning the value of $. They will also never know how much we have. The last thing I want is spoiled rotten or snobby kids.

I definitely plan to invest in their memory piggy bank though.
I\'m going to be taking him or her anywhere and everywhere.
 
Ask a kid what he or she got for their Birthday last year and most couldn\'t tell you. Ask them where they went or what they did for their last family vacation and the stories will spill out.

Some things really just don\'t matter much.


:idea: Have the little one in 2016 and you get to use him or her for taxes this year. :idea:

Take the wife for many long walks after Christmas. Just maybe little Dan will come early.
 
Little Dan... Kind of has a nice ring to it... :D :D

Of course we gota keep Little Dan out of them \"jakes\" and leave them for dad.... :lol: :lol:
 
Feed the kid POPEYE food so he can come and pack out your Canadian MOOSE !!!!! LOL

Your gonna be a GREAT DAD !!
 
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