The Central Statistics Office has been surveying the same group of people born in 1998 since they were nine years old, releasing reports at key moments in their adolescence.
In 1959, the woman who brought me into this world bundled me in a basket and placed me in a Hong Kong stairwell near Sai Yeung Choi Street, a bustling region of the British colony. I was 4 days old. A passerby called the police, who transported me to St. Christopher's Home, the largest non-government-run orphanage on the island.
The people who need you to shrink are dealing with their own stuff. After decades of running my own electrical contracting business, I've worked in hundreds of homes. Rich people, poor people, and everyone in between. You know what I noticed? The people who treated me like I was beneath them were always the ones fighting their own battles.
The people who never feel invisible? They're the ones asking questions. My buddy Frank is seventy-one. When his grandson talks about some video game, Frank doesn't say 'When I was your age, we played outside.' He asks, 'What do you like about it? How does it work?' And he actually listens to the answer.
Often, people make financial decisions based on what they need for themselves in the future. However, those who think about their families beyond their own lifetimes have a better chance not only of leaving wealth behind but also of ensuring it grows. It's never too late, either. A good way to give loved ones a head start, whether they are taking on a business or just needing to pay for a funeral, is with a good life insurance policy.
Grandparenting today means navigating a parenting landscape that's changing faster than ever. From sleep training debates to screen-time guidelines, advice evolves quickly-and it can be hard to know when to speak up and when to step back. Thoughtfully used, artificial intelligence (AI) can be a quiet ally for grandparents, helping you stay current with evidence-based parenting guidance, sort through worries before they escalate, and choose language that supports rather than undermines your adult children.
I should have said 'I don't know' more often. That woman's nine words unlocked something in the room. Suddenly everyone wanted to talk about the exhausting performance of parental certainty they'd maintained for decades.
"My kids are so invested in their children it's beautiful! They use gentle parenting techniques, even with challenging personalities; provide them with healthy outlets and nurture their friends as well. They're 100% better than I was - but I had to do it alone with five children. I'd choose my kid's parenting over mine, every time!" - Anne W.
When I was eight, my grandmother taught me how to make her famous apple pie. But it wasn't really about the pie. Every Saturday afternoon, we'd stand side by side in her kitchen, her weathered hands guiding mine as we rolled out dough. She'd tell stories about her childhood, ask about my week at school, and somehow make me feel like the most important person in the world.
