Nanny to Mommy

When it comes to thinking about the future, we can all get a little lost on it. We are all encouraged to live in the moment. Life is too short to dwell on things, be present in the day to day, that sort of thing. But the truth is, we can all agree that while that mentality is a great one to have, time moves forward at a rapid pace, and often we can find ourselves wondering where the time has gone. After all, you are probably wondering where this year has gone. Sometimes it is good to spend a little time thinking about the future, and often the decisions we make, now and in our own near futures can have an impact on our child’s future. With that in mind, here are some of the ways your decisions can impact your child and their future.

We all know the importance of getting that step onto the property ladder, and this can often be one of the biggest purchases you make in your lifetime. Which on paper, sounds quite overwhelming. The truth is, the property you have is your solid future investment, but it doesn’t need to stop there. These days investing in property can help you build a healthy nest egg.

When you think of the word retirement, you probably have images of the older generation, but the sooner we start making plans for it, the better our lifestyle will be at that stage. We grow accustomed to an income that provides the lifestyle we lead, but yet once you retire that goes away, and then what? Investing in your future funding now, be that in pensions or investments means that your child will be secure in the knowledge that you can continue to live your life.

You guessed it, the education of your child is a decision that you make today, and how you go about it is entirely up to you. Homeschooling is growing in popularity as more parents consider this for their children, but you might also want to think about the options of mainstream schooling or even private education if that is something you can afford. It can start with preschool and move forward from their right through to university. You will want to support them every step of the way. There is no right or wrong decision on education as a parent you will know what is right for your child.

The experiences you have as a family can impact your child in their future, and that is for one main reason. The memories that you make. Think about it for a moment, when you look back on your childhood what memories you have. Are they good? Are they filled with family vacations and days out? Movie afternoons while it rains and baking cakes on a Sunday afternoon. The experiences you give your child today will be what they look back in years to come. Make them count.

We all know that saving can be hard day to day, as life admin can get in the way. Your car needs maintenance, that bill lands on the doorstep, your child needs new trainers or clothes thanks to a growth spurt, you get the gist. While it may seem impossible, saving little and often can often be the ideal resolution to this issue. A little bit here and there can mount up over time.

Another thing we need to consider is college funding, and that can also feel like a long time off, but actually can creep up on you before you realize it. Using the same concept of smaller savings as often as possible will help you to start building up these funds without it feeling detrimental to your bank balance.

Finally, in day to day life, how you talk to your child, the way you act and show them love, will be decisions you subconsciously make each day, and can also affect your child's future concerning how they act and respond to relationships. Sometimes we don’t realize that actions speak louder than words, so try and be more aware of how you are in your children's presence.

Let’s hope this has given you something to think about when it comes to the decisions you make for your child's future.