This is the fourth article in a series discussing using the new monthly child tax credit distributions as the basis for investing in your children and their futures.
This article discusses some ways of investing in tools, equipment, and skills training for your children that can provide value for a lifetime as the foundation of a trade, savings in home maintenance, or the simple pleasure of accomplishment.
Tools and Equipment
Most children have an interest in tools and their use. From the trowel to the chop saw, tools enable people to actively change and improve their environment. Household repairs, car maintenance, and gardening are just some of the tasks we regularly engage in and they all require tools.
Why not use some of this money to set your kids up with quality tools suited to their interests?
A child's capabilities depend on development and maturity so tools suitable for one child may be unsuitable for another. If you find something special that your child is not ready for you can always put it aside until he is ready for it.
Garage sales and swap meets provide good places to find unusual or bargain tools and can be fun father-child events in their own rights.
Training
A tool without training is useless and possibly dangerous. Getting your child the training he needs to use equipment correctly can make the difference between frustration or injury and satisfying success.
Training can take a number of forms from the home training you provide to online tutorials to in-class instruction. Someone in your circle who uses a tool professional may be willing to hold a weekend session for a small group of interested students. Community colleges offer a variety of shop classes. The recent trend of makerspaces provides dedicated facilities bringing enthusiasts, tools, and educators together and provide regular training sessions for members.
Conclusion
Tools and training cover a wide range of opportunities. Your children's interests and your own experience will help narrow the decisions down.
Are there any details or categories I overlooked that deserve being addressed?
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