Brian Bizik, Chuck Carpenter, Luke Erickson, Adrianne Goff and Dennis Lopez
Graphic Design/Page Layout
Denice L. King • 208.918.5190 www.greentreedkdesign.com
Distribution
Shauna Howard, Doris Evans
Idaho Family Magazine, published monthly by Rocky Mountain Printing, LLC, is committed to providing readers with informative and entertaining information to help them in maintaining healthy families and positive lifestyles. It is distributed throughout the valley as a free publication. Idaho Family Magazine does not assume responsibility for statements or opinions expressed by editorial contributors or advertisers. The acceptance of advertising does not constitute an endorsement of the products, services or information. Idaho Family Magazine does not knowingly present any product or service which is fraudulent or misleading in nature. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced without express written consent of the publisher. Reader correspondence and editorial submissions are welcome. Idaho Family Magazine reserves the right to edit or reject all materials submitted. All rights reserved. Copyright 2025 by Rocky Mountain Printing, LLC.
Children’s Photos Wanted
Idaho Family Magazine would love to put your child or children on our cover. All photos should be high quality, sharp and clear, and high resolution of around 300 dpi. Color photos are preferred, and all photos need to be vertical not horizontal. Please identify the children in the photos, the children’s ages, and what Treasure Valley community they reside in. (If chosen for the cover, their last names will not be used without permission.) Send the photos to adriannegoff@me.com
A KID’S PERSPECTIVE Summertime Recollections
Summer is for building memories to cherish, and with that in mind, we asked a few of our writers about their best summer recollections.
Max, age 12
IFM: What was the last day of school like?
Max: I liked the last day… kinda. Bad part was we still had to do work. Good part didn’t have to bring anything, and we left early.
IFM: What are you looking forward to this summer?
Max: Hanging out with my friends. And swimming and camping and fishing.
IFM: What is your favorite thing to beat the summer heat?
Max: Swim in our pool.
IFM: What is your best summer memory ever?
Max: Probably celebrating my birthday.
IFM: What do you like best about Fall?
Max: I don’t want to think about going back to school yet but I’m kind of excited for 7th grade and playing boys basketball. n
GRAYLOCH Manufacturing the Future
Submitted story
Greyloch proudly unveils its cutting-edge cabinet manufacturing facility, spanning 97,000 square feet, and nestled in Star, Idaho. Equipped with the latest technology from Homag, located in Schopfloch, Germany, our fully automated facility sets a new standard in custom cabinetry for residential and commercial projects alike.
Designed for efficiency without compromising quality, our facility boasts a streamlined production line capable of transforming sheet materials into fully assembled, boxed, and delivery-ready cabinetry. Utilizing advanced machinery for cutting, edgebanding, drilling, and gluing, we maximize raw material yield while minimizing waste, thanks to optimized off-cut material reuse.
With the integration of the Homag Sorteq sorting system, our production line can handle up to 2,500 cabinet parts, ensuring a seamless flow from cutting and banding to assembly. This results in reduced production times and swift delivery to our valued customers.
We specialize in European Frameless Cabinets, featuring top-tier drawer and hinge hardware that outpaces our competitors in the local market by tenfold, with a staggering output of up to 300 cabinets in an 8-hour shift.
Our focus extends to modern slab panel products, available in a diverse range of wood grain, matte, and gloss finishes, catering to contemporary design preferences.
Committed to excellence, we exclusively use premium materials and rigorously inspect each cabinet throughout the production process to uphold our stringent quality standards. Backed by our dedicated team of professionals, we prioritize exceptional customer service and timely project completion.
Sean Fickes and his wife Dianne (Courtesy photo)
Company history
Shaun Fickes’ journey from learning woodworking in junior and senior high school to founding Greyloch LLC is a testament to the evolution of passion into profession. Initially a hobby, Shaun’s woodworking skills gradually transitioned into a full-fledged career alongside his wife, Dianne. Their entrepreneurial journey began in 1991 with Custom Oak Furnishings, operating out of Shaun’s father’s garage. As demand grew, Shaun seized an opportunity to expand into kitchen cabinet making and changed the business name to Greyloch Custom Cabinetry.
With steadfast determination, Shaun, aided by his father, a small team, and loyal customers, tirelessly grew the business. Long hours and nurturing relationships with builders and suppliers became the norm as Shaun refused to settle for mediocrity. However, it was a transformative trip to Europe in 2015 that ignited Shaun’s vision for revolutionizing cabinet manufacturing in America.
Inspired by European practices, Shaun embarked on a mission to introduce cutting-edge automation to Greyloch. Collaborating with industry partners, this vision materialized into a state-of-the-art, fully automated factory. By 2021, the company rebranded as Greyloch LLC, marking a new era of innovation and growth.
In the fall of 2023, production commenced in a sprawling 97,000 sq. ft. facility in Star, Idaho, the culmination of years of dedication and hard work. Today, Greyloch operates across three facilities, with plans to centralize operations further by relocating the paint and stain division to the Star property housed in their own new facility.
Throughout this remarkable journey, Shaun and Dianne express immense gratitude to their support network—family, friends, customers, vendors, and above all, their dedicated employees. Their unwavering support and commitment have been instrumental in shaping Greyloch into the thriving enterprise it is today. n
Encouraging News for Children with Severe Allergic Reactions
Dr Brian Bizik, MS, PA-C, Asthma Care Coordinator at Terry Reilly Health Services, Boise and Nampa, Idaho
Anaphylaxis is a severe and potentially lifethreatening allergic reaction that affects 1 in 13 children in the US. Parents of children with this condition know all too well just how just how frightening even the most routine events can be. Picnics, sleepovers and school field trips can all incite a level of stress and anxiety seldom seen otherwise. The most common triggers of anaphylaxis in children are foods, medications, and stings from insects such as wasps or honeybees. The types of foods most likely to cause severe allergic reactions in children include peanuts and tree nuts, milk, eggs, soy, and fish/shellfish. However, two recent changes to the world of severe allergy treatment give hope for both the prevention of anaphylaxis and if a reaction should occur, a much easier, needle-free method of giving the only medication available for anaphylaxis – epineph rine.
This is especially true for those infants at highrisk including infants with moderate to severe eczema or those who already have an allergy to egg. However, the recommendation is the same for all infants: expose them to potentially allergenic foods early and often through the diet.
Prior to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease Guideline Update in 2017, the recommendations for feeding infants and toddlers encouraged the avoidance of potentially allergenic foods. The recommendation of most pediatricians was to avoid foods like milk and nuts until at least one year of age. However, in 2015, a landmark study entitled Learning Early About Peanut (LEAP) Trial showed that introducing peanuts to infants as young as 2 months of age could reduce the risk of developing anaphylaxis by over 80%. By consuming peanuts, the immune system of infants ‘learned’ that peanut protein was acceptable and safe. This data dramatically changed the infant and toddler feeding landscape and was the foundation for many follow-up trials that have all confirmed the same thing – that exposure early (between 4 and 6 months of age for most) to those foods mostly likely to cause anaphylaxis significantly reduces the risk of developing life-threatening food allergies.
The second major change was the addition of a new medication delivery option for epinephrine. In an anaphylactic reaction, the only medication that should be given initially is epinephrine. Nothing else stops allergic reactions quickly, and it saves lives. Previously, all options for administering epinephrine have been with a needle using an auto-injector, the most common being the widely familiar “Epi-Pen”. However, as of late 2024, there is a new option – one that contains no needle! Neffy is a prescription nasal spray that provides the same potentially life-saving medication – epinephrine –in an easy-to-use nasal spray. The medication delivered to the nose is identical to what is in an Epi-Pen but, being needle-free, the anxiety level, for both parents and children alike, is significantly reduced. The small, easily carried and stored nasal spray device is the first FDA-approved needle-free option for patients 4 years of age and older or weighing over 15 kg (about 33 pounds).
The hope is that with the early introduction of potentially allergenic foods we can eliminate the vast majority of kids having to live with the potential of a life-threatening food allergy. For those that already have these allergies, there is now a needle-free method of providing the one life-saving medication in an easyto-use nasal spray. Finally, some very good news for parents and kids alike! n
For more information on the early introduction of foods see the Food Allergy and Research Education Association website at FoodAllergy.org.
Dr. Brian Bizik
Neffy sprays in 2 and 1 mg dosage. (Courtesy photo)
SUMMER RECIPE
Submitted by Adrianne Goff
Alder Plank Salmon
Ingredients:
•1 alder plank (if you cannot find alder, cedar will work)
•2 salmon fillets, 3/4-1 lb each
•3 Tbsp dijon mustard
•1/4 cup light brown sugar
Instructions:
Tbsp orange juice
Tsp garlic powder (or 4 gloves fresh garlic) •1 lemon, sliced thin. • Salt and pepper to taste
1. Soak alder plank in water for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours, prior to grilling.
2. Stir all of the ingredients together until smooth.
3. Turn grill to medium-high heat. When ready to cook, place the pre-soaked alder plank on the hot grate and close the lid. Leave it there until there is a smoky smell, about 5 minutes.
4. Turn the plank over and place the salmon, skin side down on top. Spread a spoonful of mixture on top of each filet and add a thin slice of lemon.
5. For indirect heat grilling (gas or charcoal): Heat grill to medium-high heat. Cook salmon in the center of hot grate away from the heat. Cover the grill and cook salmon for about 15 to 25 minutes (depending on thickness), or until cooked through (135 degrees F) and flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to overcook it.
6. You can cook the salmon over direct heat, but be careful to check the plank occasionally. If the edges start to catch fire, mist with water and move the plank to a cooler part of the grill.
Three Tips:
#1 You can place as many salmon fillets on the plank as it will fit, they come in different sizes and you can even cut your own. #2 To cook in the oven: Prepare the planks and salmon as directed but instead of using a grill, preheat oven to 375 degrees and cook the salmon for about 15-25 minutes (depending on thickness) or until it easily flakes with a fork. #3 Don’t save the planks when you’re done using them, they cannot be reused. If anything, toss them in the fire pit for a delicious smoky smell.
Need dessert? Find a recipe for Old -Fashioned Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp on page 15
CALENDAR
Please send family-related calendar items
JULY
Lakeside Lavender Festival 2025
July 12 & 13, 2025 from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
10255 Locust Ln , Nampa, ID, United States, Idaho 83686
Join us for a weekend filled with Fresh Lavender, Artisan Shopping, and Delicious Local Eats! This festival is one of our favorite events on the farm, and we can’t wait to see you all there!
Festival Highlights: 35+ Artisan Craft Vendors, Local Food Trucks, U-Pick Lavender, Lavender Plants for Sale + Care Tips, Lavender Oil and Handmade Products, Essential Oil Distillation Demonstration Open House at Deer Flat Ranch Event Center
Please contact Lavender@deerflatranch.com with any questions.
Kids’ Summer Adventures @ The Village
July 22, 2025 10:30 am - 12:00 pm
The Village at Meridian, 3597 E Monarch Sky Ln #225, Meridian, ID 83646
Bring the kids to the Summer Adventures series Tuesdays starting June 3rd through July 29th from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM on the green in Fountain Square for free summer fun! From a Teddy Bear Clinic to a Wizard’s Academy and the Pirate Treasure Hunt, each week offers activities, crafts and fun full of learning.
Cottonwood Park 4350 N. Colonial Park Way, Boise ID 83713
Now in its fifth year, the Neighborhood Concert Series is back this summer, bringing free pop-up concerts to Boise parks. Relax in a neighborhood park on a low-back chair or blanket while enjoying live music, delicious food, and refreshing beverages. Each concert showcases incredible local talent, alongside food trucks and local vendors. These family-friendly events are the perfect summer outing for everyone – so bring the whole crew and join the fun!
Kleiner Park Bandshell You are invited to our 4th annual Family Arts Festival! Celebrate summer creativity at the Kleiner Park Bandshell. FREE and open to the public! Featuring: Bounce House, Youth Art Sale (available until 7:30pm), Live Music and Theatre performances, Food Truck and Cotton Candy, Auction benefiting the Emerging Creatives Scholarship Program, Dunk Tank to get Instructors plunged, Face Painting, Party Games with prizes (everything from bubbles to private music lessons)! Bring the whole family to this fun celebration of creativity and community!
https://www.facebook.com/events/1365616
Kids’
Fix It Bike Night @ Boise Bicycle Project
July 31, 2025 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Boise Bicycle Project, 1027 S Lusk St, Boise, ID 83706
Eagle
Every Thursday night, kids from the community (accompanied by an adult) can bring their bike to work hands on with our team of volunteer mechanics to repair or maintain their bicycle free of charge! Anyone is welcome and can come any time between 6pm-7pm.
https://www.boisebicycleproject.org/
Concert Series: The Noteables
July 31, 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Eagle Public Library, 100 N Stierman Way, Eagle, ID 83616
Celebrate summer with the annual Eagle Concert Series sponsored by First Interstate Bank! Bring a blanket and chair, grab a neighbor, and unwind under the evening summer sky. These concerts are the last Thursday of every month May to August on the Eagle Public Library front lawn.
$5 per person, includes pizza and raffle ticket for prizes. Pre-purchase tickets today!
Entering 7th - 12th grade / Ages 12 - 18 School ID or age verification required. Tickets may be available at the door, but space is limited. Purchase tickets online or call (208) 608-7680.
Boise Depot, 2603 W Eastover Terrace, Boise, ID 83706
The Boise Depot is a beautiful historic Spanish-style structure operated by the Boise Parks and Recreation Department as a public ceremonial or meeting space and historic site. Designed by New York architects, the building opened in 1925 to elaborate fanfare in the capital city. Guided tours are available at 12:00 and 1:30 p.m.
Come take a FREE public tour of this historic building and the grounds. https://www.cityofboise.org/events/parks/2025/january/boise-depot-openhouse-and-tours-1-1/
Crafternoons for Kids at Library at Collister
August 12, 2025 • September 2, 2025
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Sycamore Room • Boise Library! at Collister
Join us at the Library! at Collister for a new arts and crafts project every week! Designed for kids ages 6-11. Younger children may need adult assistance.
Tween
Zone @ Garden City Library
August 14, 2025 • September 4, 2025
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Garden City Public Library, 6015 N Glenwood St, Garden City, ID 83714
Join us for an awesome new activity each week! Science experiments, art projects, or games. No matter what the activity, it is gonna be a fun time with friends. Snacks are always provided. Ages 8-15.
First Thursday in Downtown Boise
JUMP, Jam, & Jive
August 26, 2025 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Jack’s Urban Meeting Place |AMPHITHEATER | FREE
The jams are fresh this summer in the JUMP Park! The Jump, Jam and Jive free summer concert series returns to the JUMP Park. This all-ages, family friendly event starts at 6:00pm. Opening acts feature performances from local nonprofits bringing music opportunities to the Treasure Valley community. Beer and wine will be available for purchase for those 21 and older.
https://jumpboise.org/events/jump-jam-jive
Pajama
Storytime
August 20, 2025 • September 3, 2025
6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Boise Public Library, 715 S Capitol Blvd, Boise, ID 83702
Hop in your favorite jammies, grab your stuffie, and head to the library for Pajama Storytime! We’ll read books, share songs and have loads of fun! This program is designed for families of any age or make-up.
Eagle
Concert Series: Orale!
August 28, 2025 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Eagle Public Library, 100 N Stierman Way, Eagle, ID 83616
Celebrate summer with the annual Eagle Concert Series sponsored by First Interstate Bank! Bring a blanket and chair, grab a neighbor, and unwind under the evening summer sky. These concerts are the last Thursday of every month May to August on the Eagle Public Library front lawn.
Visit Downtown Boise the First Thursday of each month to experience art, shopping, dining, live music, family activities and entertainment in a special and unique way you’ll only find Downtown. Our local merchants plan exciting, engaging in-store events including food and beverage tastings, local art exhibits, and trunk shows. Stop into your favorite establishment or check out someplace new!
Fourth of July Follies
Dennis Lopez
The Fourth of July! THE American holiday cel ebrated with countless family outings, barbecues, and fireworks. But not for 17-year-old me in the 1960s. For me, it meant working my butt off on my mom’s carnival.
You see, the Fourth of July was THE big moneymaker for Big Sky Shows, and with that came an all-hands-on-deck sort of attitude to ensure we could optimize every opportunity to sell ride tickets, clouds of sticky cotton candy, and of course, snow cones.
It would be the snow cones that provided me my first near-death experience.
“Go with Timmy to the ice company and get a load of block ice for the snow cone concessions,” my mom commanded. Timmy was 16 and oxstrong, just the guy I needed to help me wrestle the ice blocks. And at about six in the morning, we rattled off down the deserted streets of the nowforgotten town to the ice house in an aging, faded yellow panel truck built before World War Two. No power steering, a manual transmission that shifted as though it had a mind of its own, and very question able brakes.
We lurched our way through the deserted town’s one traffic light and eventually found the ice house where we gave the sleepy guy at the loading dock our order.
“Seems like a lotta ice for a small truck,” he commented as we stacked the truck’s interior with block after block, side to side and top to bottom.
The truck did seem visibly lower and the tires more like flat ovals but we had completed part one of our mission; part two simply required getting back.
I have read how crash investigators see accidents not as a singular event, but rather a series of interlinked but independent, smaller events, each leading to the cataclysmic finale. What follows is evidence that this theory has some merit.
“Can I drive back?” Timmy asked.
“Got your license?”
“Yep.”
“Can you drive a stick shift?” I asked.
“Sure.”
“Okay, but be careful,” I counseled, as we swerved our way onto the street in a frenzy of slipping clutch plates, an over-revving engine, and grinding gears.
All went reasonably well for the first few blocks. Then came the dreaded traffic light that, in a moment of new-driver uncertainty, caused Timmy to slam on the afore-mentioned very questionable brakes and to
gear from then…silence.
killed the engine the intersection.
learned one of the Newtonian physics. Seems that a body at rest will remain at rest until acted upon by an outside force. And thus began move…forward. Like most glaciers, the forward momentum was slow, but steady. So slow that it momentarily went
age clowns laughing at our predicament. Our laughter was short lived. The ice cargo began moving forward and with it enough kinetic energy to break the mounts on the truck’s bench seat. Enough to keep it pushing until Timmy was trapped behind the wheel. Enough to jam me firmly against the dashboard. And then, it stopped…just enough friction and an incline in the intersection to stop the forward motion.
But at the same time, while we were safe, we couldn’t move. Timmy’s chest was against the steering wheel causing the truck’s ancient horn to honk loudly at first then to a feeble bleat as the horn began to fail. Eventually the good townspeople began to show up in ones and twos, each offering useless suggestions as to how we could be extricated, or just simply to gape and comment on our demise.
Then the town cop showed up. And then a medical team showed up in an ambulance older than our truck. The guy in charge of the town’s Fourth of July parade showed up. Even a couple of members of the high school marching band wandered by. But nobody helped us.
Image by Midora from Pixabay
The last group to show was the volunteer fire department. After carefully evaluating our situation, the firefighters were divided into two camps. Camp One suggested chopping the top off of the panel truck. “We can finally use the ‘Jaws of Life’ and just rip her off.”
Camp Two, on the other hand had a less-destructive idea. They opened the back of the truck and used a high-pressure water hose connected to their pumper truck and blasted and hosed and melted their way from the back of the truck to the front. Occasionally they would halt the hose procedure long enough to use a long pike pole with a hook at one end to snag some random piece of the glacier and drag it out.
The firefighters grabbed the last iceberg about 45-minutes after the first. One last hook grasp, this time gripping the seat back and we were pulled free. Free to drive out of the intersection to some scattered applause from the remaining onlookers. Free to drive the battered truck back to the carnival lot. Free to face the inevitable “music” when we returned to with no ice for those snow cones.
We didn’t have to wait that long. One of those on-lookers was my mother and she was pointing for us to pull over. I began to wish I had been crushed in the freak accident. I stepped out of the truck, prepared for a tirade. What I got was a simple “Are you okay?” She had gone from being my boss to my mother. She’s learned of our incident from the town cop and came running.
I started babbling something about being sorry but ended up crying. Oddly enough, so was my normallytough-as-nails mom. Far from what I expected, she put her arms around my bruised shoulders and told me how worried she was about me. She had a look in her eyes that told me she really was worried. I would see that look many times later in my life; when I joined the Army during the Vietnam War; when I decided I wanted to drive racing cars; and when I told her I wanted to buy a motorcycle, for instance.
“Timmy can take the truck back to the lot,” she said. “We still need ice but we’ll use the pickup this time. Oh…and I’ll drive.”
It would prove to be the Fourth of July that I still consider the greatest of my life. n
THE GREAT DEBATE Allowance: Earned or Unearned?
Dr Luke Erickson, PhD.
Regardless of the generation, parents have tried to do their best with the tools available—whether it’s a tractor or an iPad. But when it comes to teaching kids about personal finance, many parents feel woefully underprepared.
A whopping 83% of teens say their parents are their primary source of financial wisdom, yet only 31% of those parents report having any confidence in their own financial knowledge. Schools are trying to help, but even where personal finances are mandated by the state, it usually gets thrown on the wrestling coach who has no background in finance, has no real curricula to use, and little if any budget to support the class.
like a mini version of the capitalist market that overlays the family structure. What could go wrong? Do your chores, get your cash. Don’t do your chores, and you’re on your own…except that you’ll still get all your needs met…and most of your wants too, but trust me, you’ll feel the pain when you can’t buy that pack of Pokémon cards and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos that you so desire.
Pros: Kids learn that hard work can be rewarded financially. It’s an unforgiving boot camp for their future 9-to-5 lives. Plus, parents don’t have to worry about chores getting done since kids love money and they will be begging for more. In theory anyway.
So, parents, it looks like it’s back on you. But not to fear, because there’s one parenting tool that has proven effective over the generations at teaching kids the value of money: Allowance. It’s like an itty-bitty paycheck for kids but without taxes and more whining. Actually, the whining around money happens with adults too, let’s be honest. In any case, there’s a debate raging between Earned vs. Unearned Allowance, and when I say “raging” what I mean is that most people haven’t given it much though and don’t really care, but I AM a finance nerd. So, let’s dive into the pros and cons, shall we? For each generation, it might look like this:
Silent Generation: “Eight-year-olds should be seen but not heard. Now, if you want supper, finish plowing the field and change the oil in the tractor when you’re done.”
Baby Boomers: “Because I said so, that’s why! Now go outside and get into just enough trouble that you learn a life lesson but not enough that we hear from the cops.”
Gen X: “Here’s a Nintendo, a TV, and a key. Don’t burn the house down.”
Millennials: “I follow 12 parenting podcasts. Here’s an iPad with educational apps, and some organic kale puffs. And whatever you do, don’t leave the house without me and my helicopter.”
Gen Z: “Hey Alexa, give me some parenting hacks, and some tips to make my kids TikTok Famou$$$.”
Earned Allowance Defined:
On one side, we have the Earned Allowance camp. The philosophy here is simple: “No work, no pay.” It’s
Cons: Things can get awkward when kids start expecting cold hard cash for every little contribution, like eating their vegetables or taking a bath. Also, what if your kid is more interested in playing Fortnite than earning cash? The truth is that kids aren’t always motivated by money. So, your labor supply could dry up, leading to many incomplete chores or inflation in your chore prices to actually get them done.
And then there’s the sibling rivalry. Older kids can do more chores faster and more effectively, so they might hog all the work—and the cash—leaving younger siblings with empty pockets and a burgeoning resentment that only therapy can cure (that you’ll also have to pay for).
Unearned Allowance Defined:
On the flip side, the Unearned Allowance camp believes in giving kids a set amount of money regardless of whether they scrub the toilet or just sit around listening to Taylor Swift on Alexa. It’s basically a stipend for being cute.
Pros: It’s easy, consistent, and you won’t have to worry about the complexities of running an in-home economy. Kids get a regular amount of money, providing opportunities to budget, save, and prioritize. And it also puts the children and family on the same team when it comes to household duties.
Cons: Allowance won’t be the place that kids connect the dots between effort and earnings. This lesson is left to the real world and might smack them in the face when they get their first job. Also, without the choremoney link, getting kids to clean up will require some other kind of motivation besides money.
Luke Erickson, PhD
The Ultimate Parent Hack: The Blended Approach
With all these pros and cons, what’s a parent to do? Personally, I’ve found that a blended approach works best for my own crazy family. In my household, chores aren’t paid, but they come with perks like screen time or time with friends. The allowance is a flat rate that is adjusted by age and automatically deposited into an app that tracks their saving and spending.
Whenever my kids want to spend their money, they come to me since I’m the gatekeeper of the app. We have a chat about what they’re buying and why. These are teachable moments, like when they spend all their money on less desirable things and then complain about being broke. Ah, the sweet sound of a life lesson learned!
And I do actually give them a lot of freedom to spend their money on whatever they like, because I’ve found that their mistakes can lead to even more teachable moments. It’s better that they blow their allowance on a useless toy and learn these lessons in now, rather than rack up a bunch of expensive debt in early adulthood. Plus, it saves me from the endless refrain of “Can I
have money for this?” Either they saved their money, or they didn’t. It’s entirely in their control.
Final Thoughts: The Real Value of Allowance
So, what’s the best method? Honestly, it depends on your own family’s goals and dynamics. The worst option, though, is doing nothing at all. Giving your kids any kind of allowance, earned or unearned, is an opportunity to teach them real-life money management skills.
In the end, the goal isn’t so much about giving your kids the money they want, it’s about helping them prepare for a future where they don’t end up living in your basement because they’ve spent all their rent money on video games and the latest Boba drink trend.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go see if my 8-year-old drove the tractor back to the barn…on her iPad game that is. n
Luke Erickson, Ph.D., AFC®, is an associate professor of personal finance for the University of Idaho. He works and lives in the Treasure Valley. @drlukeerickson (Instagram), erickson@uidaho.edu
A Life Meant for Me
By Chuck Carpenter
I often think about how fortunate I was to have what I considered a perfect job. I’ve spent most of my adult life hunting and trapping in some of the greatest country a person could possibly find.
When I was young my parents spent countless hours with me and my two younger brothers in the back country of Montana and Alaska. We hunted, fished, and trapped. For three young boys there was no better way to grow up.
We were taught how to survive in inclement weather. How to find or build shelter. We were taught how to find or hunt for food and how to cook. Most of the time cooking was done over coals of a fire, on a charcoal grill or in a Dutch oven..
Chuck Carpenter
most of the summer. The kind of meals that you add a package of food to hot water and that’s what they had for dinner. They would have a cup of instant coffee each morning.
Gary and I checked out the location and picked a spot out. A short time later we had a our wall tent set up. We had a small wood stove in the tent. I had a portable kitchen that went in the tent. We set up our cots to sleep on and rolled out our bed rolls. We sawed some wood for the stove in the tent and cut some alder to burn down to coals and cook meat on.
On our backpacking trips we would pack just enough supplies to survive. Most of the time we were actually really comfortable.
All of the things I was taught when I was young helped with the job that I had. Working in the back country, many times a number of miles from towns or modern conveniences, It was good to have the know-how to be comfortable.
A few years after the reintroduction of wolves into Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming, one of my Wildlife Specialists and I were delegated to help some of the Nez Perce Biologists trap and radio collar some wolves.
We were going to be working near a tributary of Panther Creek in Central Idaho. There were a few wolves that had radio collars but the life of the collars is only about three years, and they were getting close to quitting.
Gary my Wildlife Specialist and I Ioaded our gear into the truck and headed into the area. It took us most of the day to make it to the camp site. We had good roads for a while but the closer we got to where the four Biologists were camped, the worse the road was. The last mile was barely a two-track road.
The guys were camped at the edge of a meadow. Each guy had his own one-person tent. They were small and cramped with not much room to store anything.
It was September and it was freezing most nights with a lot of moisture in the air, so each night theoccupants of the tents’ breathing caused condensation. Each morning their clothes and bedding would be very damp.
When we pulled into camp, it looked like a laundromat: clothes and bedding hanging all over in the limbs of trees, and on ropes tied from one tree to the next.
The fellows had been eating mostly freeze-dried meals
After our camp was set up,we looked around and the guys were checking out our camp. One of the fellows said, “Wow, you guys really know how to camp”. Gary replied, “well, you can camp good or you can camp bad”. “Chuck and I like to camp good,’ he replied.
Gary built a fire in the stove and put of a pot of coffee. He started frying some spuds and put of some green beans. I started an alder fire and burned the wood down to coals. I placed a rack over the coals and plopped on a couple of rib steaks about a inch thick. The area around the camp smelled wonderful.
When Gary and I looked over at our neighbors’ camp we felt kind of bad. All guys were looking over at our camp and were actually salivating! I guess the freezedried groceries were getting old after eating them all summer.
A couple of days later we had to go into town to fuel up our trucks. I picked up enough steaks for everyone in camp. Gary and I cooked up a big meal for the whole crew.
Each morning our neighbors would wait until they could smell wood smoke of our stove. They would then grab their damp clothes and run as fast as they could to our tent in their t-shirts and shorts. They would stand by our stove and put their damp clothes on.
It was a great trip. We would hike the area with our gear on pack boards looking for sign and trapping. Each night the bull elk were bugling and way off in the distance you could hear wolves howling here and there. It was a reminder of what it was probably like a hundred years ago.
We did radio collar some wolves on this trip. I thought back to when I was young and how much I appreciated all the things - large and small – that I’ve learned from my parents to make trips like these so enjoyable, and comfortable. n
2. For the strawberry rhubarb filling: In a medium bowl, toss the rhubarb with 3/4 cup of the sugar and let stand for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. In another medium bowl, toss the strawberries with the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and let stand for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Using a large slotted spoon, transfer the rhubarb to the strawberries and discard any rhubarb juice. Add the cornstarch, lemon juice, and vanilla to the fruit and stir well. Transfer the mixture to a 9” x 13” baking dish.
3. For the topping: Combine all the topping ingredients in a medium bowl. Using a food processor or pastry blender, pulse or cut the ingredients together until large crumbs form. You will want to have some larger pieces, and sometimes it just works better to squeeze and crumble the mixture with your hands at the end.
4.Sprinkle the topping evenly over the filling. Bake for 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325° F. Continue baking for another 30 to 35 minutes, or until the fruit filling is thickened and bubbling, the topping should be nicely browned. (If the topping is browning too quickly, tent a piece of foil very loosely over the pan). Let the crisp rest for about 20 minutes before serving. This is amazing served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.
#1 Store leftovers on the counter, uncovered for up to 3 days. The topping will stay nicely crisp if left uncovered. #2 Using dark brown sugar will increase the caramelization surrounding the fruit, you could also try substituting other types of sweeteners. #3 For a nutty flavor, add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans to the topping.
