Finance/Children

from 58.45 Howe Enterprise March 22, 2021

Bulldogs drop two

Hi Taylor: Feels like things are FINALLY starting to move in the right direction (I even got Taylor my first dose of Kovar the vaccine!), and I’m wondering about travel. Any thoughts on when people might be able to vacation out of the country again? - Julian upon arrival, travel isn’t simple even if you’re flying somewhere that will accept you. Add to that the fact that new coronavirus variants keep flaring up and we’ve got a sticky situation when it comes to who can go where. It’s hard to imagine restrictions will ease too much until we have a larger percentage of the world vaccinated. As well as things might be going here, we have to consider the health and vulnerability of other nations.

Hey Julian: Hey, congrats! I’m trying to stay cautiously optimistic, but the light at the end of the tunnel does seem to be getting a little brighter. Unfortunately, I’m not sure if unrestricted travel is part of that light. Not to be a wet blanket, but here are the things I consider when thinking about international travel.

Each country has its own approach. As we’ve seen over the last year, some regions chose to lock down while others tried to ride this thing out, all with varying degrees of success. I expect that will continue with travel, even as different countries return to other forms of normalcy. As of this writing, there are a whole lot of places that won’t allow travelers from the United States. Even as the numbers look better here, those governments may choose to stay extra vigilant, especially if they’re having a slower rollout with vaccines. It’ll be a bummer if we can’t go to Australia for another year, but that might just be the case.

International travel is complicated. As Americans, we’re so used to going where we want to go, when we want to go there. However, with places still requiring quarantine between flights and Closed quarters still scare people. I think this will change in a hurry if the numbers keep falling, but people who don’t want to be indoors with strangers definitely don’t want to be in a metal tube with strangers for upwards of seven hours. It seems like flying can be done safely, but those long flights will give people pause for many months to come. I’ve flown during the pandemic and felt fine about it, but there’s a big difference between keeping your guard up for two hours versus doing it for twelve.

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. Q: My three-year-old is prone to ear infections. When he has one, his behavior deteriorates considerJohn ably. He beRosemond comes disobedient and given to angry outbursts. When his ears are clear, he’s generally delightful to be around. I’m reluctant to discipline him when his ears are hurting him, but I’d like your advice on this.

A: Obviously, your son doesn’t have a behavior problem per se; he has an ear infection problem that adversely affects his behavior. Given that when his ears are clear, he’s a delightful little fellow, I’d be reluctant to recommend any form of punitive discipline. what they are doing. They’ve tried all they know to do but have accomplished nothing. They are now recommending that he attend a special preschool in the mornings where the staff will work with him on his problems. He’ll come back to his regular preschool in the afternoon, after lunch. We aren’t thrilled with this prospect. Do you have any advice for us?

A: Sounds like they’re recommending a morning therapeutic preschool, in which case he’s going to be “identified” as a problem at age three, in which case I recommend that you get him out of there. In all likelihood, his socalled boundary issues are due to a combination of factors including that he’s (a) a boy, (b) impulsive (he’s a boy), and (c) wanting other children to pay attention to him (he’s a boy).

The best approach to a problem of this “on-again, off-again” sort is to strike while the iron is cold –be proactive, in other words. When he’s infection-free and in a good mood, tell him that when he has an ear infection, he needs to spend most of his time playing by himself in his room so that if he needs to lie down, he’ll be close to his bed. I’m not recommending that you confine him, only that you set the stage for telling him, when he’s not feeling well, that he needs to go to his room.

Your follow-up question then becomes: What if he doesn’t want to go to his room? That is a possibility, especially given that he’s already in an oppositional mood, in which case you’re just going to have to muddle and keep reminding yourself that his Mr. Hyde phase will pass in due time.

Q: Our three-year-old is well-behaved at home, but his preschool teachers are having problems with him. Specifically, he has what they call “boundary issues” – he can’t seem to keep his hands off other children and In order to receive accreditation, preschools must adhere to certain disciplinary policies that are ineffective and often counterproductive. A “therapeutic” environment may well lead to a bogus diagnosis, bogus therapy, and medication. Furthermore, a label that becomes attached at this tender age could follow your son into elementary school. You don’t want that.

I strongly advise that you find a preschool setting where the teachers are more experienced and skilled at dealing with excitable boys. The first thing that comes to mind is a traditional Montessori setting.

Family psychologist John Rosemond: johnrosemond.com, parent guru.com.