Podcast:   Parenting Your "Nearly Grown"   JUST.   GOT.   EASIER. 

#100 Big decisions loom for you and your "almost grown" child.  Get more information to help you take more informed HUGE steps.  

Decisions.  Constantly.  Never enough time.  Not enough information.  

It is also likely you thought that as your kids got older you'd find more time and have less decisions required.  Maybe you do make a few less decisions, but they often increase in importance.

That's why you are here today.  You want more information and less research time in order to make smarter decisions with and for your "almost grown" child.  

From trends High School grad jobs to ACT-SAT trends and college financing, I've gathered 10 articles you'll want to read.  Each will give you their opinions and research.  No, we are not connected to these businesses/institutions but we found them...

Their Answer:  check online.  (see the podcast above for details)

Our life is an open book and anyone it seems can read it.  There are, of course, so many good things that come of online and social media.  But more time than we'd like to admit - it can trip us up.

Online Safety Has Many Concerns to watch for:

• safety from "the bad guys"
• safety from hurting others and from being hurt
• safety from achieving our life's goals
• and more

So what's a parent to do for our kids?

This topic is a forever changing topic.  But YES, there are safety moves we can take ourselves and we can help our teens with, too.  What a great lifetime habit to get them started on.  

In this podcast (above) you will learn 5 techniques to get you started on your safety journey.  Learn:

1. the "All Rights...

"Can I pay you using Venmo?"

Odds are high you've heard that question from:

• your lunch friends
• your adult kids
• and everyone else in your circle

Maybe you've taken the plunge and you now "Venmo".  

But perhaps you are thinking about it and need to know more.  Is it right for you?  We will explore this topic more in the coming weeks, but here's some food for thought to get you started.

What and Why is Venmo?  

This basically answers the need to carry around a checkbook when you need to pay friends, relatives, and acquaintances that don't have a more business-like method in which to pay them.  

In business jargon, this is a P2P or "Peer to Peer" payment method.  It's an app that you download to your smart phone and you pay your friends money you owe, and in turn, they can pay you as well.  The need to carry around a checkbook is reduced with this type of system, if both transaction parties are participating.  

Are there other companies...

Online information on our teens?  and Us?  Scary. Hackers, lurkers, information sells and more really exist.   But so often we overlook the small things that WE can do to reduce this concern.   

Let's kick up protection up a notch. 

Here are 3 ways you can up your protection game for your teen - and YOU.

1. Social Security Numbers are gold.

   Sadly, the “bad guys” know that too.  It’s time to check your child’s social security number for earnings.  Someone might have used it to seek employment – and that someone might not be your “nearly-grown” child. 

• How? https://blog.ssa.gov/protecting-your-social-security/#more-2824 

 Register it for notification.  There’s a link in the above article as well for how to  report fraud if you find it.  Here’s hoping you go on this “hunting” trip and find NOTHING unexpected.

2. But what about we parents?

   ...

Inquiring minds want to know.  Right?

How do these bureaus get our purchasing history?  If you were to write down every single thing we buy, borrow, lease, etc. on pages, you'd call it a financial diary.  So who is writing those pages?  Of course, we are, but someone else is writing all of this down, too - credit bureaus and entries to our credit report.

How do "they" compile our financial diary?

Almost every time you buy something, or create any kind of financial transaction, it is likely being reported to one, two, or all three credit bureau agencies:  Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax.  In other words, from retailers to landlords, this information is sent to them for free.  

These credit bureaus compile this information and create credit scores on us using an algorithm.  Generally, the methodology used to create the number score is "Fico".  That's why you hear the phrase:  "I have high Fico Scores" or "my fico scores...

Hello.  

I'll never forget the night my husband after reviewing our college-aged daughter's credit card that she had "purchased" a 32" flat screen tv.  

WHAT?  We had her on a tight spending, she kept herself on a spending plan, and had never given us an ounce of worry in this regard.  But a FLAT SCREEN TV?  

Well, of course it turned out to be that her credit card # had been "skimmed".  In other words, someone had digitally lifted her credit card information while they had her credit card to check out with at a restaurant.  

True confession, however.  We had trained her to review her credit charges and look for irregularities.  Who discovered the error?  Her dad.  

Take heart.  No matter how many plans you put in motion, bad things can happen to good people.  

How do you know if your child's credit report/scores and more are in jeopardy?

Of course, review the charges.   Captain Obvious, right?  

What if...

Parents:

"Mom, can I have a credit card?"  

What a difficult decision it is to make as to whether to set your teen up with a connection to your (authorized user) credit card.  Who pays?  What is it for?  Is it to help you with family expense and ease?  

This video covers 3 power moves you will want to strongly consider if moving forward makes sense for your family.  

We think it can help you move the needle on safety, spending, and cross checks!

Have a great week.   And as we say ...

You CAN Have Success in the Middle of it ALL !

Do your nearly-grown kids know this? from Pam Hardison on Vimeo.