Finance/Children

What you can do during COVID

Hi Taylor - I’m sheltering in place with my children for the foreseeable future. My husband is still Taylor able to work, Kovar which is nice, but I’m trying to figure out ways to save and stay on top of our finances so we don’t find ourselves in a hole when things go back to normal. Any ideas? - Marci

Hey Marci - Glad to hear your family is doing well and still bringing in some income. These are really tough times for the people who suddenly can’t go to work through no fault of their own. You’ve got the right idea look ahead and think of what can be done now in order to keep yourself afloat when we get to the other side of this. Here are a few thoughts to help you keep things in order.

Make some phone calls. A lot is being done to help workers and keep industries above water, so there could be some kind of relief available to you that you don’t even know about. If you have any debts or bills that might push you over the edge on a given month, reach out to your creditors and collectors. I keep getting emails from different banks outlining the ways they’re trying to ease the financial burden felt by customers, so it’s likely you can get an extension on a balance due if you just make a call.

Don’t panic. I’ve been telling people for weeks not to freak out about what the markets are doing, since volatility during a crisis is a guarantee. If you and your husband are looking at your retirement accounts and wondering if you need to sell your stocks and put it all in CDs, don’t! This is a time to be concerned with covering our basic expenses, but there’s no need to sell the farm.

Sign up for our 14-day course. Since so many people are in your exact situation, the Kovar team is launching a 14-day COVID Financial Cure course, providing enrollees with a daily task that will help them get their finances in order. We’ll tackle everything from improving your credit score to making smart investments, and all the work can be done easily from your own home. My hope is, in addition to providing useful information, the course will help steady people’s nerves as they worry about covering their bills in the coming months. Head over to GoFarWithKovar.com/ COVIDFinancialCure for more information!

There are plenty of things to do when it comes to managing your wealth. Instead of worrying about the things you can’t do while you’re stuck at home, start thinking about the actions you can take to keep your financial forecast sunny and join us for the 14-day course!

Legal Disclaimer: Information presented is for educational purposes only and is not an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any specific securities, investments, or investment strategies. Investments involve risk and, unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed. Be sure to first consult with a qualified financial adviser and/or tax professional before implementing any strategy discussed herein. To submit a question to be answered in this column, please send it via email to Question@GoFarWithKovar.com or via USPS to Taylor Kovar, 415 S 1st St, Suite 300, Lufkin, TX 75901.

Ephesians 6:10—6:20 Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

Q: My three-year-old son tends to react physically when he's mad at a preschool classmate instead of talking it out and letting the teachers intervene. We have encouraged him to use words when he’s angry, but he doesn’t seem to get it. Today he bit a classmate (the second time in a year this has happened), and got sent home. I fed him lunch and then confined him for the rest of the day to his bedroom. From now on, I plan on sending him to school every day with a “behavior report card.” He’ll get a mark for hitting, not obeying, and snatching toys from other kids. If he gets three marks in a day (morning, actually), I’ll confine him to his room at home. Your thoughts? A: My immediate thought is that boys, by nature, are more aggressive than girls. My second thought is that the problems you’re describing are not that unusual when it comes to threeyear-old boys and aren’t, in and of themselves, cause for alarm. This is not to say that aggression from a boy that age ought to be overlooked, but female teachers and mothers are more shocked by it than are males, including most dads. (But then, women are even more shocked when aggressive behavior comes from a girl.) There is no apocalyptic significance to the sort of behavior you’re describing. Even occasional biting—which tends to provoke near-hysteria among preschool staff (and mothers of bitten children)—is not pathological at this age and does not predict later adjustment problems. In the previous

sentence, however, “occasional” is the operative word. Boys are also more impulsive than girls and language is not their natural problem-solving medium. Trying to persuade your son to John “use words” when he’s angry is a Rosemond laudable effort, to be sure, but you’re not likely to obtain much success with this approach for another year or two…or three. This is another example of women expecting boys to be more like girls. As you’ve discovered, boys respond to concrete consequences. At much earlier ages, girls respond to words and are more successful at using them in social negotiations. Your “Three Strikes, You’re Out!” plan is pretty much along the lines of the approach I generally recommend in situations of this sort. I would only add 15 minutes of in-school time-out when one of the target misbehaviors occurs. Taking him out of the group for that period of time will give him an opportunity to calm down and “reset.” It will also strengthen the “Don’t!” message. And yes, if he bites or hits, his teachers should remove him from the group, call you, and keep him isolated until you arrive to take him home. In the final analysis, the success of this plan hinges on everyone keeping their cool and cutting him no slack. Family psychologist John Rosemond: johnrosemond.com, p arentguru.com.

John Rosemond has worked with families, children, and parents since 1971 in the field of family psychology. In 1971, John earned his masters in psychology from Western Illinois University and was elected to the Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society.

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