I have seen many articles posted lately in the “real” media complaining about obese kids and the implication that it is their parents fault that they are fat. I agree in some ways given that you as a parent should worry if your kid is morbidly obese, or way over weight (also knowing that some kids fill out and then shoot up in height, and there are sometimes extenuating health issues). Parents should most definitely be worried that their kids are not healthy, no argument there.
What I will write about here, is how the “real” media implies that it is a simple case of parents just not trying to get their kids healthy, and the simplest resolution to the problem is:
- Make sure the kids are active at school in sports
- Sign them up for sports at home in their spare time
- Limit their TV and Video Game access
- Limit their intake of snack foods and foods high in sugar and fat
Simple enough, and in an esoteric way, I agree, however, let’s look at this from a financial model.
The question to be answered is: is it cheaper to have healthy kids, or is it more expensive? I’ll give my opinions in the next couple of days.
New Month Coming
September is on the event horizon folks, that means we are in the final third of the year, maybe it is time to revisit your financial plans, and also start thinking about big ticket end of year items that could broadside you if you don’t think of it. What do I mean?
- Christmas, better figure out what you are doing there, or you may as well get a pile of money and burn it.
- When do your insurance policies renew?
- What other yearly payments might come due on January 1? Do you have enough money to pay them?
- How about your RRSP input goals? Reached them yet?
- RESP Goals?
- Savings in General?
A good financial plan is a living, breathing entity, that you must attend to monthly.
Follow On Stories
I wrote two follow-up stories that you can also read:
I think parents want to be involved or there with the kids because of safety issues. It’s not easy to just let the kids go out and play if an adult isn’t available. In some ways, I think organized Sports has a way of making the event a scheduled priority for Parents. It shouldn’t be that way, but when we’re so busy with this and that, the unscheduled activities of going out and playing tend to be left behind.
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