Finance/Children

Hey Taylor: I’m thinking of buying a second home and I’m a little overwhelmed by the options. Taylor I live in Florida Kovar and think I want a property in another state, as an investment/ vacation spot. Any specific regions you think I should target? Josh

Hey Josh: This is a pretty exciting time to be investing in real estate, especially if you’re comfortable enough to have lots of options. It’s going to come down to where you want to spend time and what kind of red tape you’re willing to deal with, but there’s no shortage of places to look.

Either coast. A year ago, it would have been hard to advise anyone to buy property in New York or San Francisco because the cost was so ridiculous. It’s not like things are cheap there now, but the pandemic has made city living less appealing to lots of people and caused some properties to stay on the market that otherwise would have been swept up in seconds. If you want to own a nice rental in a major market that will probably become astronomically expensive again in a few years, this could be the time to pounce.

Emerging markets. We’re seeing a lot of new tech hubs pop up around the country, and the rise of remote working means you can buy in a pretty wide radius and not have to worry too much about finding a renter. Cities like Denver, Boise, Spokane, and Missoula don’t have the name recognition (or price tag) you’d find in the country’s biggest cities, but the industry is there to support a blossoming real estate market. The places might not jump out at you as top choices for a vacation home, but the surrounding lands and national parks are pretty spectacular. Growing hubs like this provide relatively safe investments with lots of potential for booming prices.

Land. Maybe it’s just the Texan in me, but you can’t do too much better than a big, beautiful ranch. If you don’t have super specific plans for your investment and aren’t dependent on rental income, think about buying a large, affordable plot of land in an area you like. You could buy acres of rolling hills in Texas, a swath of forest land in the Pacific Northwest, or maybe a couple miles of beachfront property down in Mexico. If you aren’t picky, you have the chance to buy cheap land that will be incredibly valuable down the road as the population grows and more areas develop.

Since you have so much to choose from, I’m sure this feels a little overwhelming. Trust your gut and go with the property you want to own. Enjoy the search!

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.

John Rosemond

accordingly. Misusing terminology is not simply a matter of semantics. A person who confuses the meaning of words is likely to behave

That occurred to me during a conversation with a parent who was using the word discipline as if it was a synonym for punishment. When I pointed that out, he said, somewhat defensively, “What’s the difference?”

“We’re talking here about a problem you’re experiencing with one of your children. It’s a problem of discipline, not a problem of punishment.” “Sorry, but I don’t understand,” he said, still a bit prickly. The right attitude is one of calm intolerance. The child should know, without doubt, that the parent is strongly disapproving of the misbehavior in question, but it is vital that the parent not be in the grip of anger. When anger dominates a parents’ attempts at correction, it is likely to be nothing more than retaliatory, as in, “I’ll show you!” That accomplishes little if anything. Furthermore, most parents have difficulty following through with consequences described in anger. They tend toward overkill. How does one enforce, “No more Christmases for you, ever!”? The proper attitude is translated, “I don’t like punishing you, but what you have done demands it.” The sorts of things that call for punishment include belligerent disrespect, blatant disobedience, lies that are harmful to someone else, theft, and unjustifiable aggression.

“You seem to think that the problem in question requires punishment. I, on the other hand, believe it requires discipline. Discipline is instruction. Punishment is a disciplinary option, but it is not necessarily instructive. That depends on how it’s delivered.”

I can only hope that what I told him “stuck.” Too many parents make the mistake of thinking that discipline and punishment are one and the same. The root word of discipline is disciple. A childdisciple looks up to the parent (respect), follows the parent’s lead (obedience), and subscribes to the parent’s values (loyalty). That set of characteristics is brought about by being a proper role model and providing proper instruction. Correction is one aspect of the process, and punishment is sometimes the best corrective, but when punishment is not delivered with a correct attitude on the part of the parent, it can be counterproductive. It can make matters worse. Proper punishment makes an impression on a child, one that imparts a permanent memory, which is why, by the way, a few minutes in time-out is so generally worthless, especially for children who have outgrown toddlerhood. Big misbehavior demands a big response, but the way to prevent ever having to enforce a big response is to nip misbehavior in the bud. As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

The bottom line: The more you instruct, the less you will have to punish, and the less you punish, the better for all concerned.

Family psychologist John Rosemond: johnrosemond.com, p

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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