Finance/Children

Hey Taylor: I pretty much forgot Brexit was a thing until I heard something about it being Taylor finalized right Kovar before the end of the year. What’s the status there and how big of an impact might we expect to see? - Kevin

Hey Kevin: Following Brexit got pretty tedious after a while, didn’t it? At long last, some papers have been signed and now we get to see how things will change. The major hurdle was always trade, with UK independence meaning all European Union rules and regulations would have to shift to accommodate a new neighbor. On the EU side, the deal includes what they call the “four freedoms,” which allow for goods, services, capital, and people to cross freely between the UK and EU countries. In exchange, the UK gets to duck out of a lot of judicial matters that govern the whole of European Union trade. dom and the United States. I’m sure that will happen at some point, but I don’t know if 2021 will be the year. We’ve got plenty of other fish to fry and our government might want to watch Brexit play out for a minute or two before getting in the deep end.

There’s no hard border between the EU and Ireland, which matters for a whole lot of historically relevant reasons but leaves most Americans scratching their heads. In short, the divided states of Ireland straddle the UK and the EU, and a lot of people in Scotland are interested in gaining independence from the UK to rejoin the EU. That information will become more important if and when things get a little tumultuous again.

Two big takeaways for people like you and me. First, drastic change in Europe is a difficult thing to achieve. Second, this is just the very tip of the iceberg. The actual impact is about to start, so it’ll be interesting to see what’s what in six months or so. Thanks for the question!

What seems to have pushed the whole deal over the edge was an agreement on future trade deals and keeping things even. They settled on “managed divergence,” which allows for judicial review and legal retaliation if things start to feel unfair. It’s hard to say how sticky this process will get, but establishing some form of safeguard quelled a lot of anxieties on both sides.

Now the UK gets to start implementing its own rules and laws with regard to national policy, which is what motivated this whole thing all those years ago. There will be movement on immigration and labor deals, and we might see a new trade deal negotiated between the United KingLegal 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. Q: In a recent column, you described our five-year-old daughter. She is in bed at 6:30 in the evening but John usually wakes Rosemond up during the night and wants to talk to us about whatever is on her mind. We both work and need our sleep, so that’s a huge problem. She very energetic and emotional during the day. To get her to calm down and sleep through the night we’ve tried melatonin, chamomile tea, and a homeopathic. Sometimes, they work. Usually, not. Since she is too scared to sleep in a room of her own, both she and her one-year-old sister sleep in our bedroom, but in their own beds. Any ideas on how we can get her to sleep through the night?

A: I hope you consulted with your daughter’s pediatrician before starting to dose her with melatonin and a homeopathic substance before she goes to bed. Most studies find no downside to giving melatonin to children older than three, but Australian pediatricians recommend against it for children of any age. As for a homeopathic, you most definitely should consult with a pediatrician. Chamomile tea is fine. My wife swears by it. So did Peter Rabbit.

Having said that, I really don’t think your daughter’s nightwaking has anything to do with her daytime energy or low melatonin levels in the evening. I think the problem is that you have her in your bedroom. That’s not a good idea at all. And what, pray tell, does it mean that she is “too scared to sleep in a room of her own”? Whatever explanation you give, my next question is, “So what?”

Along with thousands of children across our fruited plains, your daughter is afraid of sleeping in her own room for one reason: you have let her sleep in yours. The unknown is usually scary to a child. The fact remains: your daughter is not going to become comfortable sleeping in her own room until you insist that she do so. Do you think she’s one day going to say, as you’re putting her to bed in your room, “You know what Mom and Dad? I think I’m ready to sleep in my room!” Let me assure you, the odds of that happening anytime soon are slim to none.

She wakes up during the night and wants to engage in conversation with you because you’re right there! This is a bad habit, nothing more, and it’s likely to get much worse as time goes on. Also, getting her to go to sleep in her own space is going to get much, much more difficult as time goes on. The time to act is now!

Put her down in her own bed, in her own room. Simply tell her that “the doctor” said that five-yearold children can’t sleep in their parents’ rooms. Say, “The doctor also said that you might need to scream for a while to get used to it, and that’s just fine. Go ahead and scream all you want. We’ll be right down the hall, in the living room, making sure everything is okay.” I won’t go into the research-based justification for invoking a third party whose authority your daughter already recognizes and giving her permission to scream, but take my word for it, it works. Well, it works when the child’s parents don’t give in and let her back into their room.

You’ll have to listen to some agonized screaming for a week or so, but in the end it will work a whole lot better than melatonin. Chamomile tea? That’s a somewhat different story. After all, Peter Rabbit recommends it.

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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