6 Cities in the Intermountain West for Families Who Love the Outdoors

Finding a place to live that balances affordability and quality of life is high on many people’s lists. For those who love the vibrant culture, beautiful landscapes, and thriving cities out West, there are several smaller cities that are still relatively affordable compared to the crazy prices in Seattle or San Francisco.

Here’s a rundown of some of the best cities in the Intermountain West that still haven’t become crazy expensive like Bozeman or Bend.

  1. Spokane, Washington

Spokane offers residents a well-rounded lifestyle at a fraction of the cost of other West Coast cities. The city has a robust job market in healthcare, education, and manufacturing, along with great access to outdoor activities and a relatively low cost of living. With home prices that are approximately half that of nearby Seattle, Spokane has become increasingly attractive to people looking to settle in a smaller urban setting.

Spokane has a growing restaurant scene and has a number of great hikes immediately outside of town.  Check out Riverside State Park or Rocks of Sharon for some examples within 30 minutes of downtown.

  1. Boise, Idaho

Boise consistently ranks high on quality-of-life lists, and for good reason. Its booming tech sector, proximity to outdoor activities like hiking, skiing, and river sports, and a low cost of living make it a magnet for young professionals and families. Although home prices have risen over the past few years, Boise still offers great value in terms of housing and income potential compared to other cities.

13th Street and the North End are some PFB favorites for a nice stroll with a coffee.   Bogus Basin is within 40 minutes of downtown for nearby skiing.

  1. Missoula, Montana

Missoula is known for its tight-knit community, rich history, and scenic beauty.   As a college town, it has a unique mix of culture, from music festivals to art galleries (Yes, there are a lot of old hippies). It’s also an ideal destination for outdoor lovers, with ample trails and rivers. While incomes are slightly lower than in other cities, Missoula’s is still much less expensive than Bozeman even though it has similar offerings.

The city is incredibly walkable and offers easy access to the river throughout the downtown area.  Additionally, the city is a common stop for major concerts on their way to play the Gorge in nearby Washington.

  1. Reno, Nevada

Once known primarily as a gaming destination, Reno has diversified its economy, with strong growth in technology, manufacturing, and logistics. The city is close to Lake Tahoe, which provides endless recreational opportunities, and offers a relatively high average income and moderate home prices compared to the nearby Bay Area in California.  Reno’s proximity to skiing and hiking is second only to Salt Lake City.

  1. Fort Collins, Colorado

Fort Collins is a college town with a lively atmosphere, home to Colorado State University. The city attracts both young professionals and retirees with its job opportunities in the tech and research fields, as well as its breweries, music venues, and outdoor recreation. Fort Collins combines a strong household income with a moderate cost of living.  Additionally, it’s not so far that you can’t make trips down to enjoy all the pro sports or activities in Denver on a weekend.

  1. Santa Fe, New Mexico

Santa Fe has long been known for its vibrant arts scene and unique adobe architecture.  Accordingly, it is a destination for creatives, retirees, and young professionals alike.  The city’s average home prices are the highest for these mid-size cities.  It offers a slower pace of life with ample outdoor activities, high-quality dining, and rich cultural experiences. While the average household income is slightly lower than in some other cities on this list, the quality of life often draws people looking for a lifestyle shift.  Santa Fe is close to amazing mountains for hiking and skiing with Taos less than 1.5 hours away.

Costco Hours and the Best Time to Shop

Breakdown of Store Hours:

Weekdays – 10 AM – 830 PM

Saturdays – 9 AM – 7 PM

Sunday – 10 AM – 6 PM

For the tire center, pharmacy or optical department at your local Costco it is best to simply call in to confirm specific hours.

Gas Station Hours – Good to Note that its not 24/7 since most stations are

Weekdays: 6 AM – 930 PM

Weekends: 7 AM – 7 PM

Best Time to Shop

During the week the best time to avoid is the hours between 3 PM and 7 PM since the traffic is the heaviest then.  The store generally has lower traffic during the day before 3 PM.

Additionally, Fridays in the summer tend to be busy all day due to people loading up for weekend camping trips.

Weekends at Costco are notoriously busy at most hours.  However, if you need to go, the store is highly staffed every weekend.  This generally keeps wait times in line manageable.  However, the parking lot could be the biggest challenge as Sheng Wang has found.

730-830 PM on a weekday is a great window to shop Costco since the crowds are typically light after the after-work rush.

Shopping at the End of the Day as a Budgeting Tool

Shopping at the end of the day at Costco is also a good budgeting tool because it prevents too much browsing.  If you are prone to grabbing several extra items every trip to Costco then this can be a valuable method to stay on track.  Making a list of 5-10 items you need and then starting your run at 745 PM keeps you focused.  This time pressure can prevent the browsing that Costco wants you to do.

Delivery is available with Instacart (Also a Budgeting Tool)

Costco provides delivery through Instacart, but you will need to confirm it for your specific zip code.  This is another good budgeting tool in relation to Costco.   You can set our shopping list and prevent yourself from meandering down the aisles to see all the cool new items.  It also helps you avoid fighting for parking on the way in.

Trader Joe’s Delivery Is Available

Trader Joe’s Delivery Is Available on Doordash

Trader Joe’s doesn’t offer delivery, but a wide number of items are available on Doordash.  You can choose from a variety of items and just need to confirm if its available in your area.

Amazon acts like they offer delivery, but it’s only a few items.  If you want Trader Joe’s Peanut Butter Cups for about triple the normal price, then you might be good on Amazon.

Trader Joe’s will likely never offer a delivery service since it goes against the general vibe of the store.  The goal of TJs is to offer low prices and a simplified shopping experience.  They only offer their store brand and have limited options for each item.  I’ve also included some thoughts for the next trip you end up taking.

Trader Joe’s Hours

Most Trader Joe’s stores have hours of operation from 8AM-9PM.   The peak times are in the afternoon and right after work during the week.

On weekend, the store is generally completely packed and so just be ready if you need to make a weekend shopping run.

Check the website for your local store to confirm: Trader Joe’s Store Directory | Grocery Store

If your schedule allows for it, the late morning is usually not very crowded, but it that doesn’t work then the 8-9PM window is often the best time to move through the store.

Stuffed Animal Mascots in Each Store

If you have kids in tow, make sure to look for the stuffed animal mascot that each store has hidden around the aisles.  Kids get a free sucker when they find the mascot.

This is a store that take the time to hide a mascot every day and so this is another example of why Trader Joe’s delivery doesn’t fit the vibe of the store.  TJ’s wants you to come in and have the experience of grocery shopping.

So many amazing snacks for you to walk by

Another reason that Trader Joe’s Delivery doesn’t exist is that TJs knows that they have the best snacks around.  They 100% want hungry people walking with all those yummy cookies and crackers to cruise past.

Trader Joe’s Gift Cards – Also only available in the store

A great gift for friends and family is a Trader Joe’s Gift Card, but in keeping with the theme of this article they are only in the store.

Conclusion

Trader Joe’s delivery is available on Doordash for a more thorough shopping run.  Amazon has a few select items that are most likely resale.  Trader Joe’s really wants you to come by the store.  TJ’s fights to keep prices down and the shopping experience simple.  Head into your local store, find the mascot and enjoy the quirky experience that is Trader Joe’s.

You Don’t Have to Go to an Expensive Gym to Stay Fit

We live in the age of extremes and in no area of life is this more apparent than with fitness.  There is the cross fit crowd on one side of the table that pay well over $100 and possibly up to $200 per month to work out with a bunch of other lovely, jacked people in a converted garage.  On the other is the seemingly unstoppable rise in obesity that has only been paused by drugs like Ozempic.  Americans are having a rough time with fitness even though the most fit keep going to greater extremes.

In this article, I want to dig into the comment from the great fitness thought leader, Nate Bargatze, who looked at the before picture on a P90X DVD and wondered what that guy was up to.  What does it mean to be okay at fitness and is that part of the answer to the challenge from the average person.

What does it really take to be reasonably fit?  As it turns out, it really doesn’t take a ton of effort to maintain and active lifestyle.  The most critical thing is figuring out what you will actually keep doing week over week without getting board.  Here are a few thoughts to help us all out.

Figure out a Fun Fitness Activity and Make it regular

For me, the fun fitness activity is playing basketball with a group of friends at a local school where we rent out the gym.  I would never work out as hard as I do each Monday if it wasn’t for this time.  We enjoy the fact that now we know how each other move on the court and there is decent flow during our games.  The game has gravity that keeps us all coming back.  Its huge for keeping a bunch of 40-something dads from falling into the trap of crappy health that still stalks us as a nation.

Keep Dumbbells and a Bench in the House

It’s easy to build up momentum for 15-20 minutes of simple weights when all you have to do is step into another room in the house when you get home from work.  Even better, if you work from home, you can take this during the day to refresh the brain.   A set of dumbbells can sit in the corner of a home office and be plenty to engage multiple muscle groups every day.  It allows for quick workouts which makes it easier to be consistent and its the consistency that is the key for maintaining fitness over the long term.

Get a Dog and Walk Everyday

This has been the secret to my father being in great shape for a 73-year-old.  He has never been someone who cares to go to the gym, but he did start taking the beagle that they adopted from us on a 2 mile daily walk for a few years when he turned 70.  My dad has the same level of workout motivation as I do and so he needs a reason to get out and be active.  The responsibility to try to keep an old beagle from starting to look like a blimp was enough to get him out walking.  The consistency of this “OK” level of activity has produced outsized results as time has gone by.

The Big Takeaway

Linking up weeks, months and years of consistent, physical activity really has some significant results for our health.  Additionally, for those with tight budgets, it is good to know that a gym membership isn’t a requirement for health.  There is plenty that can be done at home or by simply adopting an old beagle and hitting the trail.

Raising Mentally Strong Kids by Involving them in Home Improvement

Mental Health challenges amongst young adults is at an all-time high and many experts point to the fact that kids are being over-protected by parents and not allowed to step into their own ability to solve problems.  An amazing way to combat this is to involve kids in home improvement projects.  It can slow the process down a bit, but the payoff for their confidence is well worth it.  Another aspect is that extra hands can move some projects along much quicker and when kids know they were involved in actually speeding a process up the boost to their self-esteem will be tangible. Its easy to read books on parenting strategies like the groundbreaking book on this topic by Dr. Daniel G. Amen and Dr. Charles Fay, but the true challenge is finding opportunities to apply these truths in daily life.

Kids don’t have enough opportunities to be involved in real problem solving

School assignments are generally paper or computer based and very controlled to the lesson at hand.  This doesn’t provide opportunities for the mind of your child to engage in the kind of problem solving that almost any home improvement project comes up to.  It’s great to see a parent work through what to do if a piece of baseboard is cut slightly short or to work to reset a paver that isn’t quite level on a patio.  A major reason to involve kids in your simple projects is that these simple projects still run into complications and if they are around and engaged with the resolution, they will feel some level of power to deal with these things themselves.  This will require patience (sometimes more than I have) and it could slow a project down, but this is the practical way to use the power of neuroscience to raise resilient children.

Becoming Mentally Strong starts with actually feeling useful

I have been involved in building two short fences and a paver patio with my kids and these projects all made me think of the big farming families that exist in the distant past.  For the fences, my younger daughter was helping with a small nail gun (with me right next to her guiding) while my son held each plank in position.  This allowed me to use my hands to ensure the nail was in place and the planks were precisely in the correct spot.  This little system got us moving quickly through the installation of about 30 planks on a short front yard fence and we all felt quite pleased at the end.  It honestly went much faster than I could have done it by myself or even just with my wife.  The three sets of hands, even if they were small were super helpful. It provided a first time to get hands on a project which allows them to begin to understand what it takes to see a project through. This is critical to becoming resilient children and young adults who know how to problem solve.

Types of Projects That Work for Kids

Obviously, the scale of the project needs to be right for this to work.  The mental strength and patience that I am trying to generate by having my kids help is obviously not something that has much supply now.  I’ve found that fences or replacing siding on a shed have been awesome for this.  The kids are genuinely useful and we see a ton of progress quickly.  Other items that I think fall into this category would be installing vinyl plank flooring since the kids could be staging to allow a parent to move through the placement or for an older child to actually do the placing while the parent is doing quality control.

Similarly, installing new baseboard is a great home improvement project where extra hands are tremendous and it also allows one of the kids to use a nail gun (with a parent right next to them, once again).  This allows the parent to focus on positioning and the child can drive the nails.  Cutting baseboard is definitely something that only a teenage child should help with, but if they are ready, this is a great next development step.

Experiences are the way to build mental strength and confidence

The major underlying theory here is that experiences are the currency for building self-confidence and resilience.  In the United States, these types of experiences simply aren’t coming to kids at the same rate that they were in past generations.  It takes intentional, effective parenting to create these experiences and home improvement projects provide a perfect, organic way to do this.  It won’t be perfect, but its 100% worth bringing kids in to help with these items and also plant the seed for them to catch the DIY bug as adults.

All parents want to avoid power struggles and behavioral problems from children of all ages and the foundation that is required is to help build resilient children in their early years to insulate against these challenges.

 

5 Mechanical Engineering Jobs and the Top Cities for Each

Mechanical engineering offers a wealth of career opportunities across various industries. From automotive design to aerospace innovation, mechanical engineers play a crucial role in many fields. Below are five rewarding career paths for mechanical engineers and the top cities where these jobs thrive.  The opportunities are incredibly diverse and hopefully this gives some ideas for those pursuing and ME degree.

1. Aerospace Engineer

Overview: Aerospace engineers specialize in designing, testing, and improving aircraft, spacecraft, satellites, and missiles. They work with advanced technologies, including computer-aided design (CAD) software, to ensure performance, safety, and environmental compliance. These engineers may find themselves designing next-generation rockets, improving airplane aerodynamics, or ensuring spacecraft can withstand extreme conditions.

Top Cities:

  • Los Angeles, California: Home to major aerospace companies like Northrop Grumman, and SpaceX, Los Angeles is a hub for aerospace innovation.
  • Huntsville, Alabama: Known as “Rocket City,” Huntsville hosts NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and numerous aerospace companies.
  • Seattle, Washington: As the headquarters of Boeing and many of its top suppliers like Parker Hannafin (formerly Exotic Metals Forming Company), Seattle has a long history in aerospace and offers abundant opportunities.

2. Automotive Engineer

Overview: Automotive engineers design and develop vehicles, from the body and structure to the engine and other mechanical components. The industry is rapidly evolving due to the shift toward electric vehicles (EVs) and autonomous driving technologies, making it an exciting field for mechanical engineers interested in cutting-edge automotive technology.

Top Cities:

  • Detroit, Michigan: Known as the “Motor City,” Detroit remains a leading automotive center with major automakers like Ford, GM, and Stellantis headquartered there.
  • San Francisco, California: With tech companies like Tesla and autonomous vehicle firms in Silicon Valley, the Bay Area is a prime location for automotive engineers focusing on EVs and self-driving cars.

3. Renewable Energy Engineer

Overview: As the demand for sustainable energy grows, renewable energy engineers work on creating and optimizing systems that harness energy from renewable sources like wind, solar, and hydro. Mechanical engineers in this field contribute by designing efficient turbines, improving energy storage systems, and reducing environmental impacts.

Top Cities:

  • Houston, Texas: Known for its energy sector, Houston is increasingly investing in renewable energy, providing a transition hub for engineers with experience in traditional and renewable energy.
  • Denver, Colorado: Denver has a growing green energy industry with opportunities in wind, solar, and sustainable engineering projects.

4. Robotics Engineer

Overview: Robotics engineers design and build robots for various applications, from manufacturing to medical procedures. Mechanical engineers in this field apply their skills to create machines that can perform precise and complex tasks. This career is ideal for those interested in automation, artificial intelligence, and the future of manufacturing.

Top Cities:

5. Biomedical Engineer

Overview: Biomedical engineers work on developing medical devices, prosthetics, and systems that improve healthcare. Mechanical engineers specializing in biomechanics, medical imaging, and device design find this field rewarding as it combines engineering principles with healthcare to enhance patient outcomes.

Top Cities:

  • San Diego, California: A hub for biotechnology, San Diego offers roles in medical device development, including research facilities and companies like Illumina and Medtronic.
  • Minneapolis, Minnesota: Known for its medical device industry, Minneapolis hosts companies like Medtronic and 3M, which provide numerous biomedical engineering opportunities.
  • Boston, Massachusetts: Boston’s vibrant biotech and healthcare sectors make it an ideal location for biomedical engineers looking to innovate in medical technology.
How to Get a Deal on a Home in an Older Neighborhood 

Buying a house is tough and it can be even tougher in older neighborhoods that are often highly desirable due to their character and proximity to downtown areas.  If you are someone who loves the idea of walking down streets with large trees and unique homes from these earlier eras.  Here are some things to keep in mind if you want to be a person who puts Dave Ramsey’s wisdom into practice and buy the cheapest house on the street and then get ready to quickly add equity.  The three examples below were all present in a house on the South Hill in Spokane, Washington in the 99203 Zip Code which is among the most expensive in the city.

Overgrown Landscaping that is Easy to Remove

Many older homes have landscaping that was carefully planted over 30 years ago and now has grown to a point where a significant amount needs to be removed.  However, once you remove some of the overgrown portions, what is left is still mature, beautiful landscaping that simply can’t be duplicated in newer homes without spending a small fortune.  This is a perfect example of a house where two trees next to the house are completely covering up the window to the dining room, but once those are removed there is still a fully mature landscape in front of the house.  A day of yard work and a run to the dump could instantly add significant value to the property.

Weird Decisions that Tank Home Value but are Easy to Undo

In older neighborhoods where the homes have been with the same owner for many years, it’s pretty common for decisions to be made that are either a preference of the owner or some simple convenience item that are pretty devastating to a home’s value.  In the same house pictured for this article with the overgrown landscaping there was a bathroom where a shower was removed and then the room was painted a dark red.  This is the type of thing you do when you’ve been in your house for decades and you have the place paid off.   You don’t need the shower and you like the color so go for it.  For many people looking for a house, this is a total deal breaker.  It’s weird and the house only has one total shower so most people will simply walk away and never give it another thought.  However, the bathroom has plumbing hidden behind the new wall and floor and so it is likely a relatively simple remodel.

The dark red paint is a funny one because the entry in the home we currently live in was also painted this same color and along with the ancient light fixture in that area it made it feel like we were entering a cave.  The principle is the same though, it causes an instant ick factor for home buyers, but it only took a couple hours to fix the whole area.

Expensive Updates Complete, Simple Stuff Left Unfinished

This is another one that my wife and I have seen often enough largely because people will fix the biggest eyesore in their house like an old shower, but they are used to the peeling paint in the bathroom so they don’t care to get that fixed.  For an older person, all the little items like painting or replacing light fixtures are a bigger ordeal and its expensive to hire contractors so its not uncommon to only see the higher value items completed.  This is still a situation that can turn off many homebuyers and bring down the overall feel of the home even though a little paint is one of the easiest DIY opportunities.  In a situation like this, the home improvement is simply repainting a few walls and then the value of the bathroom skyrockets.

The big takeaway is that in a softer housing market like it has been in 2024 and likely will be in 2025.  These little items can add up and make houses sit longer and drop further in price than they should.  These issues caused this home to fall $50K from its initial list price and there are hundreds of homes like this in neighborhoods across the country.  A smart, scrappy buyer who pays attention to this stuff and isn’t afraid to get their hands dirty can potentially snag $30K-50K in equity.

WSU Football and Jake Dickert are Teaching the World a Lesson

In the world of NIL and still clearing the dust from the imploding of the PAC12, the WSU Football Team is 8-1 and currently sits in contention of the college football playoffs.  This isn’t supposed to happen when many other programs are able to vastly outspend them in NIL deals and when their players can leave now that they sit outside the power 5.  However, on their run this season the team and Coach Dickert are teaching the world some valuable lessons that translate off the football field.

You can always reinvent yourself and be successful

Jake Dickert took over for Air Raid Legend Mike Leach.  Leach threw the ball more than anyone in the nation over his coaching career and built a team to win with a high-octane offense and historically a pretty weak defense.  Dickert came to Pullman and started to shift the team to a defense first philosophy that consistently stays in games by limiting their opponents rather than outscoring them.  This season, the Cougs have turned even more to the run with quarterback John Mateer running for over 200 years in one game and the team as a whole consistently rushing for more yards than they pass for.  It’s a new look for Coug fans, but it has brought a new energy and its ended up in quite a few wins so far.

A Solid Program Can Hold Together Even When Everything is Falling Apart

At the end of last year, the Pac 12 fell apart and WSU was left out in the cold.  Then to add insult, the Cougs start Quarterback, Cam Ward, signed with Miami for an NIL deal that WSU could never touch.  It seemed bleak.  However, Jake Dickert was still there, and its clear that his leadership and program are much stronger than the forces challenging the team.  The Cougs were able to rally to a top 25 ranking and can look forward with hope to the coming years as long as Dickert is still on the Palouse.  One of WSU’s leading receivers this season, Kris Hutson, transferred from Oregon after losing playing time and has been rejuvenated this season with over 500 yards.  Dickert is able to consistently build into players that others have overlooked and its got the WSU program moving in the right direction.

There is Always Hope for the Little Guy – Even When Your Conference Disintegrates

The coolest thing about the run that WSU and Dickert are having is that it proves that even with the massive shift from the NIL, there is still hope for programs that typically haven’t had the greatest recruits and will never have the most money to spend.  Hopefully Dickert keeps his program rolling for years to come and continues to show that the core things that make college football great still matter.  There is still space to build a program and develop players who don’t come in with 5 star recruiting ratings.

This article is part of an effort by personalfinanceblogs.com to celebrate the principles that make for success in life and money.  The ability to find value where others don’t and building a program for a college football team share many of the core elements that make a financially successful person out in the stands.  Hope you enjoyed this article and please check out our featured articles from the best minds in the world of personal finance.

Raising Mentally Strong Kids by Helping them Understand the budget

Mental health challenges amongst kids today are at an all-time high and many experts point to the fact that kids are being over-protected by parents which is in turn leading to a generation that hasn’t developed the ability to deal with the natural stress of live.  When the challenges of being a teen or young adult confront many kids, they have not developed the coping muscles due to being overly sheltered. This aligns with the parenting strategies outlined by Dr. Daniel G. Amen and Dr. Charles Fay in their bestselling book with the end goal of helping our kids reach their full potential. His groundbreaking book is loaded with practical advice for parents, but it’s up to us to put this evidence-based help into practice in our day-to-day interactions with our kids.

The following are three ways the helping your kids understand the family budget and live within it will help them be emotionally strong and hopefully lessen their anxiety as they become young adults. The best thing parents can do is give kids their first time exposure to the realities of life in a setting where we can show them what good decisions in the real world look like. As parents we obviously want the best possible mental health for our adult children and these small opportunities, we get with them as kids are the steps to build this foundation.

Learning to Wait for Things for a Real Reason

One major aspect of developing mental strength for kids is learning to wait.  The challenge is that it can be a power struggle if parents are just saying no to requests and then deal with the onslaught of questions.  Rather than just starting a fight with, “Because I say so” it can be super helpful to just share what the family has budgeted for the particular area and then explaining when the item fits in or why it doesn’t fit at all.

In this way, parents are just pointing to a bigger reality which in turn helps kids start to understand the world has more to consider than what they want right now.  We can share that it’s smart to wait on some of the random stuff they want because this month the car needed work done. As they internalize the larger picture over time from interactions like this it helps them lay the foundation to become resilient children and young adults. This is how the power of neuroscience can be on our side as parents if we set up simple opportunities for our kids to develop mental strength.

Learning to Choose between Two Desires

This item is usually centered around something bigger that a child wants like a video game system or a bike that takes a little more time to save up for.  If a kid really wants the bigger item, then its is a helpful way to push back on every request that seems to come up at Target or from seeing a new product on social media.

Once again, its connecting to the bigger picture rather than letting the desire in the moment run the show. The family budget can be a practical tool for helping children of all ages grow in this skill. It doesn’t require a child psychologist like the team at Amen Clinics to make progress like this if parents use the opportunities well that arise in daily life.

Becoming Mentally Strong starts with knowing you aren’t always in charge as a child

This is a big one because this is what kids really want.  They don’t want their parents to be pushovers and give them everything they want even if the complain and use all the tactics that make every parent cringe.  Children need to understand that their parents have a plan and are moving the family in a direction that is more complicated than their momentary wants.

This is also an area that can help parents recover if you (like all parents at some point) deal with saying yes too much to your kids.  A new budget for the extra expenses that come along with a trip to Target can be a great way to take background if your kids have gotten to a level of whininess that you aren’t feeling great about. The key is that restoring this balance is the key to raising mentally healthy kids. This also helps avoid behavioral problems during the teen years that often arise from a lack of effective parenting in the early years.

Giving kids a picture of the real life that they are headed towards

This is huge because talking to kids about the bigger aspects of the family budget starts to get pictures of adult reality in to the mind of your child. They can start to see that its not scary or super complex, but that adults have to live in reality.  The biggest part of reality is that you have to spend less money than you make.

Another aspect of this is that it gives us as parents a bit of built-in accountability to know what we are doing with the budget since we’ve opened up this world a bit to the kids.  As kids get older, some of the specific numbers for groceries or how to use a credit card can be shared to help them wrap their mind around what life really costs. In the United States, its so easy to skip past these opportunities to help develop resilient children due to the lack of focus that is a constant challenge in a world full of social media distractions.

 

 

Raising Mentally Strong Kids by Letting them Pack Their Own Lunch

One of the biggest challenges of raising mentally strong kids is that for the process to work, they need to start taking ownership of small aspects of their life.  They can’t have parents who just take charge of everything and are in constant care taking mode.  This is where school lunches come in because it’s a super easy item to hand off and help kids to own from the grocery shopping to packing up each morning.

If kids know they own it, they will step up.

This is the biggest thing for the school lunch hand off.  Parents need to really let them own it and be ready for some potential for a few less-than-ideal lunches.  The huge thing is that if a child detects or experiences that they can hand this back then they will.  This is just human nature and doesn’t mean they are lazy.  If the kids can read that parents are committed and its been clearly communicated, then they will step in and own it.

For our family, this partly happened because I’ve always worked really early and so my wife was solo getting the kids ready for school.  Our kids walk to school and so the morning routine has always been pretty independent.  The funny thing was that we noticed how much the kids would flex the whining in other aspects of life, but the morning lunch routine had just become the norm and so they didn’t fight it at all.

Bringing the Kids into the Shopping Trip

It’s pretty typical that I drag my kids along with me to the store on Sundays when we need to reload for the week.  I tell them that they have to come to make sure that we have what they need for lunch.  We look at the fridge together beforehand, but they are responsible making sure we grab what they need to complete their lunches for the week.

It is good for kids to pull items off the shelf and see the prices for the items.  This helps them start of slowly understand the cost of things and can also spark good conversation if Dad makes them put back a certain item because its twice the price of something that is nearly identical.

A side note on this is that now that my kids are in middle school, this is a cheap trick to get a little extra time with them.  From experience they know that I will forget what they need at the store and so they are willing to come with me to make sure we get it.  The little bits of conversation along the way are a great bonus.

Making the morning routine much more manageable

A big thing that has helped with this lunch routine is that it takes the edge off the mornings getting ready for school.  As I mentioned prior, I’m normally wake the kids up as I head out the door and so it provides one less thing for my wife to worry about as she still helps them get going each morning.

Our lives are plenty busy and so this one little thing to take the edge off each morning is more than welcome.