Plant A Seed, Watch It Grow

I have been a little weepy lately. A few nights ago, a sad detail in a book made me burst into tears like I was fifteen years old again and had recently been broken up with. I looked around my bedroom for someone to meet my eye so I could say, “sad book,” but thankfully my family wasn’t anywhere around. I quickly reminded myself that I am human, I am a mom, and I am allowed to be a little extra emotional sometimes. 

The next day, my youngest daughter and I had an argument about what kind of outfit she would be wearing to school. She has a very strong position on her clothes. We argued, and I yelled, and on the way to school I apologized for yelling as I watched her disappear into the school hallway. I felt like weeping again. Ah, our babies. I have heard that being a parent is like watching your heart walk around outside your body. No truer words have ever been spoken.   

After dropping her off that morning, it dawned on me, my baby girl sure is looking so long lately. Her face is starting to look so mature and I am starting to see beautifully defined cheek bones. Will she one day soon no longer think I am the actual greatest or sleep snuggled up against me anymore, because she is growing up? 

I know it is right and good and natural and exactly what I thought would happen, but is watching your kid grow supposed to hurt this badly? The reality is that it does hurt. The empathy I feel as I watch my children try and figure out their lives and learn hard lessons in the process is already tough. Questioning whether I have done enough, taught them enough, supported them enough, pushed them enough—well, that adds another dimension to it. 

That, my friends, is an entirely different article that I thankfully won’t be writing today. 

Not all growth is as painful, though. Remember Science class, learning about plant growth and development? Oh, how I loved when we got the chance to see plant seedlings and watch them grow! 

I could close my eyes and immediately imagine the seedlings popping through the coarse soil and becoming something that would eventually nourish myself and my family. 

There is something so exciting about watching new growth, whether it be a plant, animal, or an 11-year-old daughter. I am always amazed by this process. 

As true, live grown-ups, we parents must worry about all the things. To name a few (and in no particular order,) growing and maintaining wealth, problem solving, strengthening those important relationships, and preparing for the unexpected. I sometimes feel like part of my own daily purpose in life is to make sure my household finances are in the state they should be. It can become overwhelming at times, and I am a trained professional!   

Your assets should be growing to meet your ever-changing needs and goals. It’s not uncommon for people to follow the financial advice of their parents or friends. Although they can provide helpful advice, you must pay attention to your unique circumstances.  Meeting with insurance and financial professionals who have solid, reliable knowledge about different financial tools and planning will help you get a full understanding as you develop an estate over your lifetime. You will need a strategy to grow wealth and sufficiently address debt.

Life insurance can also be a significant part of an estate plan. It will provide liquidity for your beneficiaries, giving them cash. This cash can be essential to a surviving spouse and children. You might be wondering how much life insurance you need. A quick rule of thumb is to look at your debt and ask questions. How much is each debt? What happens to the debt when I die? 

It is also important that you review your beneficiaries regularly to make certain they are who you need and want them to be. On more than a few occasions in my career, I have had to have the difficult conversation with a current spouse, left with current debt and obligations, about not being named as the beneficiary on a life insurance policy. I can promise you, that conversation isn’t ever fun. 

Regardless of your growing asset level, whether it is modest or high, it is important to know what you have, how it operates, and what can happen with all that you have worked hard to build. Take it a step further and find out if your assets are set up to meet your goals. If they aren’t, it’s time to seek out a professional and get growing. Let’s do this!