It’s been three weeks since we posted our New Year’s Resolutions. As January ends (finally), here’s how it’s been going so far.
Mary’s New Year’s Resolution Check-in
Parenting
Low Tech Culture
“Learning about yourself and what you’re drawn to is one of the cool things about growing up.” – Rachel Childers, musician with the Boston Symphony Orchestra
To piggyback off our last post, we’re sharing the low-tech devices your kids can use to find their musical tastes.
The Old
Hey, there’s nothing wrong with going old school. If you still have these lying around, introduce your kid to the classics and low-tech tech.
Continue readingNot in this Mini-Economy
Last summer, we did a refresher post on Chores and Teaching Money Management. In mine and Mary’s households, we wanted to build in some type of money management structure because how money is handled now is vastly different than it was 30 years ago.
First, we don’t carry cash. I’m not actually sure how my kids think paying by card works. Any cash they directly receive comes from gifts and goes into a piggybank.
Second, I rarely give my kids the opportunity to spend money. That means, they don’t come with me running errands or stopping at Target. Whenever we do go shopping, or if we’re on vacation and they have the option to get a souvenir, they want EVERYTHING!!!
Obviously, how kids learn about money is going to be different from family to family. Learning about money management in school is also generally reserved for older kids. I remember a field trip we took in 8th grade about picking a job with a set salary and you had to make it through the month watching your budget and balancing your checkbook.
Through my work email, I got a Substack invite from Dr. Stephen Day, a Professor at Virginia Commonwealth University and Director of the VCU Center for Economic Education. He was hosting a webinar on how to use Bluey to teach kids economics. I loved this approach and his writing topics, so signed up for another webinar on Mini-Economy at Home.
Continue readingPatti’s 2025 New Years Resolutions
I think we all start the year with the best intentions. In 2024, I wanted to continue along my path, just keeping things steady and predictable. I’d had enough upheaval and just wanted to get through my life.
Around November however, I had a regrettable crash out and I know now something big needs to change. I don’t think I’ve ever been this stressed or frustrated with a particular component of my life. This went beyond just setting boundaries or just getting things done.
I turn 40 at the end of the summer. In order to get where I want to be by then, I want to go big. Whether that means finding a new job or diving into a new field, we’ll be doing some hardcore recalibrating.
Continue readingMary’s 2025 New Year Resolutions
It’s a new year which means a new opportunity to dust off those old resolutions, update, and try again. While last year’s resolutions did not go as planned, I believe I fulfilled 2024’s intention: to feel fulfilled, secure, accomplished, and complete. With that said, 2025 poses similar challenges to years past. Every resolution looks like the one before it, but why? Obviously, I’m seeking to achieve something greater than the tasks, so what is it?
After looking over my goals for the year (and the year before that, and the year before that), I noticed that I ultimately want to be more productive and intentional with my time. I’ve struggled with time management for years and while I score mini wins in establishing a new habit every now and then (daily workouts, drinking water, etc.), I never feel like I accomplished what I’m truly aiming for. So now that I’m 40 (Happy Birthday!), this year serves as a reset: ridding old habits, establishing new ones, and maintaining consistency.
Child(ish) Advice 