Here’s the situation: You need your child to do something important -- finish her homework, clean his room, get dressed, mow the lawn, write thank-you notes, lie down for bed, whatever. You kindly ask your child to help out, and you get a strong “No” or “Not right now.” You … [Read more...] about How To Win Any Negotiation With Your Child
Living the Life of Your Dreams
An old fishing parable goes like this (retelling the story here from memory): A businessman goes to visit a local fisherman in a vacation destination. The fisherman takes him for a long day of fishing and relaxation. They have a great time and enjoy the day. The businessman asks … [Read more...] about Living the Life of Your Dreams
A Golden Day
Today is a Golden Day. A day where formal work commitments are low, where the kids are being watched, where I can go out on my own. To read, to write, to think. To reflect on what is most important. A Golden Day to work on whatever I want. I woke up this morning and worked … [Read more...] about A Golden Day
Trading Off Your Kids’ Well-Being
As an economist, I'm always thinking about trade-offs. Do I consume good X, or good Y? Do I invest in option A, or option B? Do I devote time and energy to task Q, or task R? Life is fully of trade-offs and decisions, and we're constantly solving this complex optimization … [Read more...] about Trading Off Your Kids’ Well-Being
My Mid-Life Crisis
It sounds cliche, but I think I had a mid-life crisis this year. I turned 35 late last year and began to dwell on this basic fact: I might be halfway through my life. If we plan for 70 and hope for 100, I might have already lived half the years that I am ever going to live. In … [Read more...] about My Mid-Life Crisis