Saving for Post-Secondary #Education is a Team Sport - #RESPs and Planning for #EducationCosts

Saving and Planning for Post-Secondary Education is a Team Sport

The way I see it, we as parents are the coaches, trainers and managers of the team, and our kids are the players. 

via BrainyQuote

Each member of the team has a role and responsibilities in preparing, planning and saving for post-secondary education. Education is expensive, and saving for that expense should start early. 

Contributing to an RESP for your child is a great way to save your child's education. 

But in order for our kids to truly understand the value of money and education we need them to take an active role in saving, paying and planning for their education costs. 

Middle School is a great time for "Team Education" to start writing the education play book. Below are some exercises and links to resources to help prepare your team for the big game of life. 

• Dream Job Research Assignment: Have your child pick 3 careers or areas of interest and research what is required to do that job including: education, institutions offering program, acceptance requirements, and cost of program. 
• The Cost of Living: How much money will you child need for school and living expenses. Tools such as RESP calculators, student budget calculators, and budgeting tools  can help you figure it out. Get your kids to do The Money Belt on-line budgeting exercise to get a realistic idea of the actual cost of living away from home.  
• Show Me The Money: Besides the RESP savings the coaches are contributing, where will the other funds from. Another research assignment: Have your child research what funding options are available (scholarships, loans, part-time jobs, summer employment, ScotiaBank Awards, Bursaries, and more). Don't forget putting Birthday money or a portion of any cash gift into education savings really adds up over the years.

These exercises are a great way for both you and your child to clarify and manage the expectations each of you have in regards to post-secondary education funding, and focus your education plan.

LINKS TO RESOURCES:

The Money Belt - Info for Parents 

The Money Belt - Info for Students

ScotiaBank Customer Contest for Students

ScotiaBank - yconic Student Bursary Contest

Government of Canada - Services for Youth 

Scholarships Canada

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about planning and saving for education costs.

Note: I received compensation for sharing my ideas on planning, preparing and saving for post-secondary education. All opinions are my own.  

Overdraft Protection Is A Form Of Credit #FinancialLiteracy #ThingsYouNeedToKnow #FLM2015

Overdraft Protection is a Form of Credit. 

Credit made available to you, if used is debt and becomes part of your credit history.

This should be made very clear by a financial institution when offering Overdraft Protection on your account. 

I'm not talking about auto-transfers from another account that has funds available to cover a shortfall, which is also be called overdraft protection. I'm talking about approved lending to cover an overdraft up to a certain amount for a specific charge and rate of interest. 

A recent scenario: 

• Thing 1: (young adult in grade 12) goes into his bank and is offered over-draft protection on his account which is not overdrawn, nor ever been overdrawn. This service is verbally explained to him, after which a form is produced for him to sign, He signs for and accepts this offer with the enthusiasm of a youth who is feeling very grown up to be asked and seen as an adult. He does so without paying attention to the fine print since it has already been explained, or asking questions he probably doesn't even know to ask. 
• Thing 1 was not asked if he is a student, or employed, or told his account would changed from a student account to a regular account, thereby changing the fee structure of his account. He was not told this is a form of credit and as such would reflect on his credit rating and credit history.
• As a result overdraft protection of $300 is placed on his account, and it appears his student account is at this time switched to a regular account with all the service charges that go with that account. 
• In the past Thing 1's Debt Card transaction were declined if there were insufficient funds, but this is no longer the case and the account is overdrawn. Additionally there is an overdraft fee of $5 a day (according to the bank employee) which has been charged until we realize he is more than $200 overdrawn. 
• Thing 1 goes into the bank and uses his birthday money (his only source of income) to pay off his overdraft, and has this account switched back to a student account. 
• When Thing 1 goes to remove the overdraft protection he is told by the bank employee serving him if he takes off the overdraft protection, since he had an overdraft it will show and reflect poorly on his credit history. Overdraft protection is removed anyways.

We have raised our kids to be financially literate and make good choices about money. Their bank accounts were opened and their allowance auto-deposited bi-weekly like a pay-cheque specifically to help teach them about managing their money. We've clearly stated under no circumstances are they to apply for or accept credit before they are working and have a means in which to pay it off. It is not free money, it is debt, and there is a cost to debt beyond the amount of the loan. 

I acknowledge: Thing 1 is not without fault here, and this was a learning experience, and thankfully only a $200 life lesson. Thing 1 definitely should have paid attention to the details regarding overdraft protection before signing and entering into a contract AND to his account balance. 

He should have discussed it with us before signing on the dotted line, so we could explain this is a loan or form of credit. We would have asked to see a copy of what he signed, and about the charges involved, or changes to his account. We would have discussed the pros and cons of overdraft protection and when it is appropriate. We would have asked why a student with no means to pay off an overdraft needed overdraft protection. And how it would be used by someone with no auto-debits, payments or cheques written on his account: because in all other situations it is no longer protection against possible cash flow issues, but instead pre-approved authorization to spend more money than you have. 

What was the need for overdraft protection?

As an ex-banker and a parent I am appalled that this happened. He didn't ask for this product, a product he had no idea existed prior to being asked if  he wanted it. I suspect the employee requires better product training or was attempting to reach product and cross-sales targets or both.

I was a personal mortgage and loans manager and I assure you I would NEVER have approved this for an unemployed high school student with no means to pay off the overdraft. Even with pressure to cross-sell and promote products (and there was lots) I never suggested or offered products that weren't a good fit for the client. The only way to actually know that is to talk to the client, never make assumptions, and ask the right questions. You need to ask and answer the questions the client doesn't even know they need to ask, because you not the client are the expert. 

That makes for a happy, long-term and loyal customer. 

Now I was not there when the overdraft protection was put on Thing 1's account, nor was I there when it was removed. To complicate things further it was put on at one branch but had to be removed at the branch where the account was opened. 

Had I been there these are some of the questions I would have asked:

• Are there rules and policies about giving overdraft credit to someone and if so what are they? 
• Do they normally extend credit to a high school student with no job or means to pay off that credit (even if they are 18 years of age)?
• Is there a pamphlet given to the client when overdraft credit is put on their account explaining all the details and charges?
• Is the client required to sign something and initial beside specific details such as the account being changed, charges for the new account, and overdraft interest and charges.
• Is the client asked if they've ever had credit before, and the term credit fully explained.
• Is the client told overdraft protection is a form of credit and therefore part of their credit history. If the overdraft is not paid off or stays on the account for an extended time not only will it cost a fortune but also reflect poorly on their credit rating and history. 
• By changing the account from student to a regular account (with services charges) if the account is overdrawn due services charges does the same $5 a day overdraft fee still apply? Basically will the client end up in a vicious cycle of overdrafts due to fees causing more overdraft and so on ...?

At the end of all this I have two messages: 

Parents: talk to your kids about credit so they can avoid Thing 1's experience. You might want to include a conversation about cellphone service contracts as well.

Financial Institutions: You can do way better! I'm disappointed that instead of teaching a young adult about money management he was offered products that serve only the bank not the client. 

From a basic business stand point, you have no idea who or what he may become and this will not make him a long-term loyal customer. My husband and I have been with this same institution for 20 years (since just before Thing 1 was born) and should this bank check our portfolio it would be clear that we're clients worth keeping. You would never have pulled this nonsense on us, but in the end it was our birthday gift to our son that paid off the overdraft, so it feels personal to me. How you treat everyone, not just the "important people" matters to me, and this certainly doesn't make me want to recommend this financial institution to others. Just food for thought.

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about overdrafts, credit and financial institutions. 

Note: I was not compensated for this post. The purpose of this post to merely to share my experience and information with my readers. All opinions are my own. 

Like Father, Like Son, but Twice the Price. Planning for Rising #Education Costs.

They have "the knack"

I met my husband at university, and at the time he was an engineering student. He was funny and smart and studied about things I had no understanding of. We graduated and he worked at things I had no understanding of. On occasion I'd overhear him speaking in that mystical language of tech, but it wasn't until later I realized he had "the knack."

We married and he fixed the dishwasher, stove, washer and dryer. He was my in-house IT guy and made the "interweb" and computers work. He knew magical things like science and math, and could do long multiplication and division in his head! Surely there could be no others like him. He must be one of a kind!

We lived together in marital bliss with our two young children amongst the working appliances and computers, until one day it all changed ...

my youngest started to speak the mystical language of tech with his father. My eldest and I looked on in amazement, not understanding a word they said, but realizing this meant there were not one but two with "the knack!"

My son was going to follow in his father's footsteps.

But here's the catch: twenty-five years ago my husband graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering Degree and the tuition and residence costs for that 4-year program was between $35,000-$40,000. Today, tuition and residence for my son at the same university for a 4-year Bachelor of Engineering Degree will be between $80,000-$90,000.

The same degree at the same university is more than double the cost!

AND

Engineering Programs are more expensive than many other programs, meaning the difference between the tuition for an Engineering and an Arts program is nearly $4,000 a year.

We're Going to Need a Plan!

By the beginning of middle school, most parents start to see the direction in which their kids' abilities and interests lie. By Grade 8, they're making decisions about whether to take Applied (college stream) or Academic (university stream) courses in high school. This is the perfect time to get kids involved and thinking about post-secondary education, saving for that education and understanding budgeting and money management. 

This is also a good time for kids to look into grants and scholarships. Scholarships (aka money) can be incentive to work hard and keep their grades high, since many universities offer a scholarship for high averages at the time of admission. The university I attended currently offers admission scholarships between $4,000-$16,000.

Waiting until your child knows what they want to be isn't when the plan should start. Although it's never too late to start saving for post-secondary education, the earlier you start the better.

• TIP: If you find the language of Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs) to be like the mystical language of tech, the Heritage Funds Glossary of Terms might be helpful.
• Although your child's direction and area of study won't be revealed until later, saving for that studying needs to start ideally as soon as they're born, allowing your RESPs to accumulate over time. Regular contributions can add up to big savings over 18 years. 
• Setting up monthly auto-contributions makes it easy, and ensures you don't forget. We all have the best intentions but a plan makes it happen.
• Starting early allows you to take advantage of all the grants you're entitled to, providing you meet the criteria.
• TIP: An RESP is a great place to put cash gifts from family and friends, and your kids know those who care about them invested in their future! When my nieces and nephews were young I gave them a small toy and the rest was a cash gift for their education fund.
• Be sure to check if your employer offers post-secondary scholarships to employees' children who maintain an honours average.
• Review your RESPs and savings plan regularly to evaluate where you are compared to your goals, and if adjustments need to be made. 
• Lastly, they say it takes a village and the Heritage Funds Blog is a community that offers resources and advice on a variety of topics from education, parenting, and finance to crafts and activities. 

You don't need to have "the knack" to put a great plan for your child's education in place, but you can't delay, so start saving today!

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about the rising cost of education.

Note: As a Heritage Mom I was compensated for this post, and for sharing my thoughts about RESPS and saving for post-secondary education. All opinions are my own and reflect my personal experience saving for my two kids' education. 

May is #BeCarCareAware month. Is your car ready for spring? #Tips & Ticklists

May is Be Car Care Aware Month

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure: 

As a parent I have spent countless hours and dollars trying to ensure my kids' health and safety. Whether by installing car seats properly, serving a healthy diet, providing proper safety equipment for sports and recreation, or modelling behaviour like wearing a helmet, the goal was always the same. 

Now that my kids are teens and learning to drive I feel that diligence in regards to their safety is even more important. Understanding the rules of the road, eliminating distractions, properly adjusting seats and mirrors, and having insurance with proper coverage is vital. Driver's Ed and practise are both important parts of the learning process, but equally important is the vehicle. It doesn't matter if the mirrors are adjusted to minimize blind spots if the vehicle is not safely maintained.  

Ensuring your vehicle is safe for you and your family is what Be Car Care Aware is all about. Twice a year in May and October the AIA (Automotive Industries Association) and its partners run Be Car Care Aware campaigns aimed at raising awareness on the importance of regular vehicle care and maintenance, and the role it plays ensuring safe roads and the safety of your family. This information is particularly important to new drivers and those considering their first vehicle. 

Regular maintenance and seasonal checkups help to ensure the vehicles my kids drive are safe, and minimize the likeliness of breakdowns than can potentially lead to an accident or my kids stranded at the side of the road. Our safety plan includes a review of the rules of the road, ensuring the emergency preparedness kit is complete, and inspection after the long cold winter. You'll find the Be Car Care Aware blog has useful maintenance tips and information.  

My Key Tick List Items: 

• Review vehicle owner's manual & maintenance schedule.
• Breaks: inspected & in good working order.
• Tires: inspected for wear & pressure. (including spare)
• Fluids: topped up with season appropriate fluids.
• Wiper Blades: in good condition & working order.
• Seat Belts: checked to ensure all are working properly.
• Insurance Information & Emergency Contact Numbers are complete & easily accessible. 
• Emergency Preparedness Kit:  is complete with season appropriate items.
• Spring is a perfect time to wash & detail your car both inside & out.

Teens and Teachable Moments:

Lastly as a parent it's my job to ensure my kids are financially literate, and helping them understand operating a vehicle is never just about the initial cost is a great way to teach them money management. Our family vehicles are investments we rely on and using them is a privilege not a right. Although it may be many years before my kids are ready to buy their own cars, it's important they understand what the ongoing cost associated with operating a vehicle are, and budget for insurance, regular maintenance and repairs. A time investment to research consumer reviews, financing and insurance options and maintenance for a vehicle can add up to big savings over the long run.

What steps will you take today to make yourself and your teens more Car Care Aware?

Additional Resources:

• Free electronic version of the Be Car Care Aware - Car Care Guide 
• Car Insurance: Comparing Prices and Coverage
• Why Care about Be Car Care Aware

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about Being Car Care Aware.

Note: This post was a collaborative effort with my friends at Lowest Rates to increase awareness on the important of regular car care and maintenance. All opinions are my own.

Teaching #FinancialLiteracy: Toddler to Teen & Importance of #RESP Savings

Teaching our children about financial literacy goes hand in hand with saving for their post-secondary education and RESPs.

Saving for our children's education is a priority; without a plan the rising costs of post-secondary education could leave them with crushing debt that takes years to pay off. It's important my kids truly appreciate this gift and to do that they need to understand exactly how we saved, how much we saved and what we chose to forgo in order to contribute to their RESPs.

If our kids have not learned to properly manage their education savings, then we as parents have missed a big step in the process.

Spending is the opposite side of the "coin" to saving and kids need to understand both to properly manage their money. Lessons about money management and saving for their education should start early and be part of a child's daily life.

There are lots of ways to teach kids about money sense and financial literacy at all ages.

Younger kids:

Giving them a choice and comparing options teaches them that numbers can be broken down into smaller parts, to compare parts, and the concept of saving for later.

• You can have three pieces of licorice or one bowl of ice-cream.
• You get one soda on the weekend and you decide when, but if you have it all Friday night there will be none left for later.
• You get 2 hours of screen time on the weekend. You decide how you use it; all at once or 4 half-hour portions.
• Summer Learning: Make a folder called When I Grow Up. Decorate the folder with drawings about your top three picks for a career when you grow up. List the careers and at least 3 reasons why you chose each one. (put the list into the folder)

Older kids:

Now they are ready to learn the value of actual money. This is a good time to open a bank account for them that they are responsible for. We always had two, their account and the "special account" where large money gifts went. These funds required parental approval to access and spend. Money in their account was theirs to manage, which included allowance and a small portion of the money gifts.

• Talk to your child about something they really want, how much it costs, and how long it takes to save for it. Make a written savings plan that includes regular progress checkups. They will learn about saving and planned purchases rather than impulse buying. Just because you have money doesn't mean you have to spend it.
• Each time your child asks for something point out the cost in a currency they understand. For example: 1 fast food drive thru = the cost of 2 packs of Pokemon cards, or 1/2 the cost of a skateboard or video game.
• Dime Jar Multiplier Experiment: Make a chart numbered 1-30 indicating the day in numbers. Each day put that number of dimes or buttons or marbles into a jar. E.g.: Day 1 - 1 dime, Day 2 - 2 dimes, etc. Count the dimes in the jar on the 30th day. Explain that this is similar to what happens to RESP money you save for their education. It multiplies over time.
• Summer Learning: Have kids research and organize all the information they can find on three careers they're interested in. Include photos, links and resources to refer to later. (Put it into the "When I Grow Up" folder)

Tweens and Teens:

Now is the time to ramp up the financial literacy learning. By middle school our kids had their own bank account and bank cards. Allowances were auto-deposited every two weeks like a pay cheque and the "Bank of Mom" was closed for business. No more borrowing against future allowance, or birthday money.

• Have kids keep a "Cheques and Balances" sheet of spending and savings for their account, and explain the concept of debits and credits. Keep balance sheets and receipts in a binder to be balance once a month.
• Take them grocery shopping and only buy items on sale and/or you have a coupon for. Explain the increased saving of both being on sale AND applying a coupon to a purchase. The CESG for RESPs increase savings in a similar way. Even better have your kids look at flyers, and coupons to create a meal plan and grocery list before going grocery shopping. Then calculate saving from planned purchases of sale items and/or coupon use. What percentage of the total bill did you save?
• Calculate the annual savings if the amount saved on the grocery shopping trip was saved each week. Then calculate the total contributions if that amount was deposited to an RESP annually over 18 years. Even without the multiplier effect it adds up!
• Summer Learning: Take the previous research about your top career choices and expand the research to include education required, three post-secondary institutions offering the programs, the acceptance requirements and the cost of the programs at each institution. Put costs into a chart and compare tuition costs between programs and institutions. (add to the "When I Grow Up" folder)
• Have kids make a list of all the expenses and income for a year of college or university both living away from home, and living at home. Use the lists to make budgets for a year and compare the two. (add to the "When I Grow Up" folder)
• Have a brainstorming session with your child about their findings; how much will they need, how they will afford the costs, what expenses they are responsible for, and areas that need to be adjusted to better meet their education goals and stay on budget. It's important for both parties to be open and honest about their expectations in terms of contributions and what if any conditions apply. (take some notes and add to "When I Grow Up" folder)
• Once your child has read a bit about what an RESPs is get your child to make their own education savings plan with SMART goals for the expenses you have agreed they will be responsible for. This may include a new RESP or just contributions to an existing RESP.

After each lesson and stage, sit down with your kids and use what they have learned to discuss the importance of having a plan and starting early to save for their education and RESPs.

You can find several useful links to information about RESPs and post-secondary education savings in my post: RESPs and Saving for Your Kid's Post-Secondary Education. 

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about financial literacy and RESPs.

Note: As a Heritage Mom I was compensated for this post, and sharing my thoughts on RESPs and saving for post-secondary education. All opinions are my own and reflect my personal experience saving for my kids' education.

#RESPs and Saving for Your Kid’s Post-Secondary #Education

Start Schooling Yourself on Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs) and Saving for Your Kids’ Post-Secondary Education

I've always believed post-secondary education is important. Not simply as a way to secure employment, but because of all the important life lessons that come with that experience. It's one of the reasons my husband and I have been saving for our kids' post-secondary education since they were babies. I see investing in my kids' education as an investment in them as people, and the return on investment is that they become critical thinkers and contributing members of society. But with education costs these days, saving for - and paying for - that education requires a plan.

Although I paid for my own university expenses, when I applied to and attended university I never really thought much about how I would pay for it. The tuition and associated costs were not as prohibitive as they are today. In the summers, I lived rent-free at my parents' house, and made enough from my summer job to pay for tuition, books and some spending money. I worked part-time during the school year to cover my rent and food. I was hardly going to be featured on Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous but I never starved or couldn't pay my rent. Of course in those days my tuition was about $1,500 a year plus another $500 for books. I had a second-hand "high end" electric typewriter (with the swivelling ball no less) AND matching typewriter table which made me the envy of all.

Cutting edge technology:

Fast forward to today, as my kids apply to college and university and the tuition is between $5,000 and $15,000 per year plus at least another $1,000 for books. These days a laptop, printer, smart phone, and internet access are all required tools for post-secondary studies, and they don't come cheap. Let's not forget the cost of residence and a meal plan (or food) and rent, if living out of town. So tack on another $10,000 a year for that. 

It's no longer possible to graduate debt-free while paying for school with a summer job and part-time work during the year. Without planning and help, my kids would be potentially $80,000 in debt after a four-year degree at a university out of town. I simply cannot imagine them starting their first job with that kind of debt. Repaying it would have such a huge impact on their lives; it would affect their ability to buy a car, a house, start a family, etc.

So our gift to our children - and it is a very generous gift indeed - is the gift of education. It is a gift of planning and saving for their futures. It is the gift of graduating debt-free. Since I am not made of money (hence the not being on Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous), the only way for us to afford this gift was to find ways to make our money work for us, have a plan, and start saving with enough time for those education savings to grow.

Sharpen those pencils, put on those thinking caps and school yourself on RESPs and saving for your kids' post-secondary education. 
Here are a few lessons I've learned along the way.

•  Educate yourself. Do some research into what RESPs are, what types are available, and what options you have when it comes to saving for your kids' education. You should also research what education options qualify for RESP fund usage. It's important to invest time into making the right decision for yourself and your kids, and take advantage of all the savings opportunities available to you.

Government of Canada: Registered Education Savings Plans (RESP) 
Government of Canada: Choosing the Right Registered Education Savings Plans 
Heritage Education Funds Glossary of Terms

• Start early! Really, you should start almost as soon as your kids are born. Even a small amount every payday or month adds up over 18 years. Setting up regular scheduled automated contributions is the easiest way I found to do this. Remember, you are not limited to auto deposits. You can make additional contributions or lump sum contributions when funds become available from a tax return, bonus or gift. Use one of the many RESP calculators available to determine how much you'll need to contribute over how many years it will take to reach your goal. 

Heritage Education Funds RESP Calculator

• When you receive lump sums of cash such as an income tax return or bonus from work, try to apply at least some of it towards starting an RESP, contributing to an existing RESP, or deposit it into a separate account to draw on monthly towards an RESP. By putting the funds into a separate account they will be easier to manage and you won't accidentally spend them on other items. Taking a bit of your tax return every year and putting it into an RESP really adds up over the long term, and helps to ensure you qualify for the maximum yearly CESG amounts you are entitled to.
• If you receive a child tax benefit, consider putting aside a small portion of each payment to put towards an RESP and education savings. By setting up an automated deposit of these funds to a separate RESP account, you'll never see the funds in your main account, and thereby eliminate the risk of them being used for other items. As the saying goes, "out of sight, out of mind".
• Be sure to take advantage of ALL possible government incentives and grants. There are several, so be sure you educate yourself on which ones you qualify for, and ways to maximize the amount you receive. 

Government of Canada: Canada Education Savings Grants (CESG)
CanLearn: Canada Education Savings Grant (CESG)

• Lastly, include your children in this process and planning from a young age. Financial literacy is so important, and they will need to understand the efforts and sacrifice you're making on their behalf to save for their education. They need to understand what a special gift this is, and truly value it and how lucky they are to receive it. BONUS: this is a perfect opportunity to get some money management, budgeting, and goal setting lessons in. 

Tax Return time is just around the corner, so why not make this year's tax return time RESP time, and start saving for the gift that will keep on giving your child's whole life through.

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about RESPs.

Note: As a Heritage Mom I was compensated for this post, and for sharing my thoughts about RESPs and saving for post-secondary education. All opinions are my own and reflect my personal experience saving for my two kids' education.

Old School or Hi- #Tech - JK to Grade 12 - Reading Lists still part of summer! @StaplesCanada #KindleFireHD

Maybe it's because I'm older now and my kids are teens that I find myself thinking and getting nostalgic about the past and all the firsts; first steps, first words, first day of kindergarten, middle school, and then high school. Soon my babies will be venturing out on their own and there will be other firsts such as driver’s licences, and college or university. There will be firsts for me as well, including celebrating adjusting to the fact they will move away and will only be back for visits. I like to think the lessons we have taught our kids will serve them well and prepare them for all life's firsts, adventures and journeys yet to come.

One such lesson is a love of reading. Both my husband and I are readers, and always felt it was important to read to our kids, for our kids to read, and for them to see us reading. Shortly after writing Summer Learning with a Forecast of a Bright Future I was given the opportunity thanks to Staples Canada to try the Kindle Fire HD, providing this old schooler her first experience using an e-reader or tablet for reading. Maybe my tech savvy kids have a thing or two to teach their mom after all.

When we were expecting our kids, it was a toss-up between Babar and Winnie-the-Pooh for the nursery. These books had meaning for my husband and I as kids, and the stories and messages stayed with us into adulthood. That is why we chose them as some of the first books to read to our kids. Reading and sharing the same stories we read as children always makes me nostalgic, and I love that I could share that our kids.  

SUMMER READING

HI-TECH KINDLE FIRE HD 

OLD SCHOOL 

From the time our kids were very young my husband read to them nightly, it was their "thing". The books he read were not typically considered young kids books, and the reading was always followed by a discussion about the ideas, themes and messages in the chapter he had read. These books were always ones he had read in his youth. While others were reading Harry Potter, he was reading The Old Man and the Sea, The Little Prince, Jungle Book (the original, not the Disney version), and Terry Pratchett’s Wee Free Men. I would overhear the kids saying “we can’t read Jungle Book tonight right Dad, because there is violence and we don’t have time to discuss it.”  

I feel like books and stories are one of the best ways to bridge the generation gap between ourselves, our parents and our kids. Stories play such an important role in our understanding relationships, lessons, and life. The Judy Blume books, To Kill a Mocking Bird, The Outsiders, Ender’s Game, The Hobbit, and Catcher in the Rye, all have applicable lessons and messages still relevant today.

My teens have read so many of the books my husband and I read in our teens or in high school. It is interesting to see how we interpret them second time around with life experience compared to our teens. How and why our kids respond in a certain way to those stories gives us insight and helps us to understand them and their points of views. Discussions about books can be a great way to segue into conversations that can be challenging topics for parents and teens to discuss, especially for the “non-verbal” teen boy. Today's teen struggles and challenges are still ultimately about relationships, school, career paths, life choices and morals.

Like their parents before them, both my kids have to research topics for school projects and essays, but they have the Internet rather than periodical indexes and microfiche (showing my age here). They read the same books but often on an e-reader or tablet. They can be excellent tools for school. This summer was filled with firsts. My youngest son (aka Thing 2) did his first Reach Ahead Course at Summer School; Grade 12 English. We were able to lighten the knapsack load by putting the assigned books onto a Kindle Fire HD. He was able to use the Kindle Fire HD to quickly search spelling and definitions, something we have always encouraged our kids to do. In the past even if they wrote the words down with the intention of looking them up later, by the time they got home it was often forgotten. I love that they there is no need to wait and they can look up words up as they read.   

    NEW SCHOOL VS. OLD SCHOOL

Summer vacation has always been a favourite time of year for me. As a child it meant a more relaxed schedule and spontaneous adventures. As a stay at home mom it has meant 18 more years of adventures with my kids, and a time to forget about school for a while, while still learning all summer long. My eldest (aka Thing 1) took the train by himself to visit his grandparents this summer, which was another first. He passed the time on the train by tackling some of his summer reading using the Kindle Fire HD. It is light weight, and made to handle the bumps a teen can dish out as well as life in and out of a knapsack. It's perfect to surf the web, watch a movie, or engage on social media. The battery life can easily handle a train ride, and it's so easy to use even "Mom" can figure it out. It really has been great and although it might be our first time trying the Kindle Fire HD you can be sure it won’t be the last.

One last note about the Kindle Fire HD: I love that Amazon Free Time app  allows you to set up different profiles for each member of the family giving you parental control over what and for how long your kids access books versus games. I wish this had been an option when my kids were younger. I have always had my kids make summer reading lists. I set the number of books and reading schedule, they get to decide what they read. The Kindle Fire HD is perfect to load up all the summer reading so the kids can get some done in the car, waiting in line, or when you are out and about. It is small and easy to bring in a purse or knapsack, and can easily move back and forth between the kids. If they finish one book, they can just move on to the next. I can’t think of a better way to integrate reading into a family’s summer schedule and plans whatever they may be. 

On a personal note I would like to thank Staples Canada, not just for this opportunity but also for the outstanding service we have received over the years. They have been part of so many of my kid’s firsts such as back to school from Junior Kindergarten through Grade 12, Science Fair boards, printing of yearbooks to name a few. They are generous and involved in our community, just as pleasant on social media, and it is a pleasure doing business with them!

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about firsts, back to school and summer reading.

Note: I received a Kindle Fire HD for the purpose of this review. All opinions are my own and reflect my personal and honest experience with this product.