Author: J. Dean, PhD

Money talks, but how do we start talking to kids about money?

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Young kids learn pretty quickly that it takes money to “get things”. They watch as their parents slide their credit card into the machine at the grocery store, give some cash to buy an item at the mall, and maybe send their kids to school with a check or cash for a purchase at school.

There is no reason to wait until your kids are teenagers (they might be ignoring you at that stage anyway) to start teaching them the fundamental skills of budgeting. You as a parent, certainly don’t need a degree in finance to give them some solid and practical lessons.

The objective is to allow them to … Read More...

A Little About Roxie…

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People often ask me if Roxie was really adopted. Yes, she was, from a very reputable rescue in Orange County, California.

Roxie had been in a home that was simply not suitable, and was taken to “foster care” where her temperament was assessed and she visited the veterinarian as she unfortunately had heart worm. She received treatment, and I was the lucky person to bring her home.

Roxie inspired the books because she is a very optimistic dachshund. She wakes daily expecting everything to be fun, and she lives each day full of life and excitement.

Each of the books represents a real life event that Roxie experienced. As one … Read More...

Kids and politics, where do we begin?

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It’s impossible to deny that our kids are witnessing quite a bit of turmoil relative to the political landscape in our country today. While it might be at school, at a friend’s house, on the nightly news or social media, young children are concerned about what they see and hear. Some things they see or hear may even be upsetting or confusing to them.

What to do? How do parents navigate this touchy area? Is it best to talk about it, wait until your child brings up the topic, or ignore it altogether? Most important, how to we teach our children to make their own independent decisions without leaning the … Read More...