What does babysitting my money and my children have in common?

When the kids were little and I hired someone to babysit our three girls, I expected them to do a few very basic things: Keep the kids safe, have fun, feed them, and have them in bed before I came home. (Nothing killed an evening out on the town buzz faster than seeing food still left on my kitchen stove, dishes in the sink, toys all over the floor; and if the the kids were still up when we got home… Forget about it!)

But oh how I loved to chip in a little extra to the babysitters who got off their phones and onto the kids’ level to play, or helped them finish their homework, and read or sang to them. And I’d chip in a lot extra when they left the house immaculate with soundly sleeping babies softly snoring upstairs… Basically, Do MORE. It benefits all persons involved (and makes for a glowing letter of recommendation when more is done than what was asked or expected.)
When it comes to babysitting my money, the same basic principles apply: Keep it safe, add to it, and make sure it’s there when I’m old and need it. But holy smokes…

• “Hat’s off” to the advisor who can calm me down off an emotional ledge when the economy/market tanks.
• “Thank you” to the advisor who calls to let me know they’ve already adjusted things in my portfolio because they see a market shift coming.
• “Hooray” to my advisor who reaches out with a phone call every quarter.
• “Kudos” to the advisor who takes the time to 1) Listen, and 2) Explain when I don’t understand.

Choose who you outsource your kids and your money to wisely. The “extras” make a huge difference.

Those who Do More get more.