I love running scenarios and giving them to my friends with children younger than mine. Especially the ones that are waiting for the “dip”. You don’t need to wait for a dip when you’re investing in a growth fund for a 5 year old then holding it for 55 years!! That is the exact scenario. I advised them to put some money in an S & P growth fund, maybe even contribute a little each month until they turn 18 and see what happens.

Let’s carry your exact plan forward and see what it becomes by age 60.

📌 Recap of what you’re doing

• $10,000 initial investment into SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 Growth ETF (SPYG) at age 5
• $50/month until age 18 (13 years total contributions)
• Then no more contributions, just compounding
• Total invested: $17,800

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📈 Value at Age 60

🔹 Conservative (7% return)

• Value at 18: ~$31K
• Value at 60: ~$530,000

🔹 Moderate (9% return)

• Value at 18: ~$35.5K
• Value at 60: ~$1.3 million

🔹 Strong (10% return)

• Value at 18: ~$38K
• Value at 60: ~$2.1 million

So why are we waiting??

If you are a child of the 80s or somewhere close to that period, you absolutely heard this phrase said to you by your parents. There were no cell phones, the TV had maybe 5-6 stations, and you could only play so much Pong on the ATARI if you were lucky enough to have a console.

So we went outside, played a lot of baseball, rode our bikes, got together with friends, played in the woods and climbed trees, etc. Real kid stuff. But there was a huge mental and physical benefit to doing so and everyone can still reap the rewards of being outside. If you’re older, I wouldn’t suggest climbing trees…maybe just sit under one and read a book with some coffee. But get outside either way this weekend and enjoy the fresh air!!

Going outside for just 10–20 minutes daily significantly reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, and improves mental well-being by decreasing cortisol levels. It regulates circadian rhythms for better sleep, boosts vitamin D, strengthens the immune system, and enhances focus and creativity. 

Key Health Benefits of Being Outdoors:

• Mental Health Boost: Spending time in nature reduces anxiety, depression, and stress, while increasing overall happiness and improving mood.
• Reduced Stress: Even 20 minutes in a green space can significantly reduce cortisol (stress hormone) levels.
• Improved Sleep: Daily exposure to natural light helps regulate your body’s circadian rhythm, aiding better sleep quality and higher alertness.
• Vitamin D Synthesis: Sunlight exposure triggers the production of vitamin D, which is essential for bone health, immune function, and protecting against chronic diseases.
• Enhanced Physical Health: Regular time outside lowers cardiovascular risk, including lower blood pressure and reduced heart rate.
• Better Cognitive Function: Time in nature improves memory, concentration, and focus, and can reduce ADHD symptoms.
• Eye Health: Increased time outdoors is associated with a lower risk of myopia (nearsightedness) in children. 

I’ve mentioned before that I still play in a men’s ice hockey beer league once a week. I wouldn’t trade it for anything because the benefits of playing have been amazing. I get some late night exercise, have expanded my social network to include some of the closest friends I’ve ever had, and get mental stimulation or a mental break from the rest of life for a couple hours.

Here has been the problem lately….though I will deal with it because I’m not ready to give it up anytime soon. Every team has at least one, some many, guys who still think this stuff matters. The goal of men’s beer league is for the reasons above I mentioned for those who get it. Some of these guys use this time to relive their failed sports youth or to let out pent up aggression on other adults (often targeting the smaller guys on the team) to make themselves feel better.

If you are playing or thinking of playing adult sports….I highly recommend it. Play hard, have fun, but keep things in perspective. Most of us have jobs to go to in the morning and we would like to be able to do so. So relax and have a beer with your buddies and chill out.