Slightly OT, is our business unusual in that we guarantee full pay for up to some length of jury duty? I think we have it capped at 4-6 weeks or somewhere in there, but we would pay a full day/week's pay for employees who are called to jury duty. I don't know if that is particularly rare, but I know I got the idea from some standard employee manual when I was writing ours a dozen years ago . . . So, anyway, if you *are* called and are employed, be sure to check with your employer about jury duty pay. You might be surprised. Our employee manual is 100+ pages long, and I doubt many of our staffers remember much of it (even though they are paid to sit in the staff room and read it on their first day of employment, lol).

This entirely depends on the court. Many will NOT excuse people for work, unless their work or business will be at grave risk/damage due to their absence. My dh is a solo-practice vet (well, we have a 1/4 time associate, too, but that's just one day a week) supporting 12 employees . . . If he misses work, work stops (unless we can find a relief vet to cover for $500+/day). He *has* been able to get out of jury duty repeatedly over the years, so far, in two different jurisdictions due to the "extreme hardship" his service would cause his business, but I know of other owner-vets who could not get out of service in other jurisdictions, and based on our research at the times he was called, we didn't take it for granted that he'd be excused. It was actually pretty worrisome if he hadn't been excused, as a lengthy service could be catastrophic to us.

Jury duty. Ugh. I got out of it several times when I had nurslings and/or little ones at home FT with no available sitter . . . I haven't been called since my kids were old enough to leave alone . . . not looking forward to that particular civic duty. Like most dress codes, that one is arbitrary and ridiculous, IMHO. I'd likely wear whatever I had on hand that seemed reasonable. Since I have lots of clothes, I'd follow the guidelines (resentfully). If I didn't own clothes that fit the guidelines, I'd call the court and tell them so, and see if that got me out of duty. If that didn't work, I'd borrow something or wear the best I could come up with, resentfully. I resent plenty of my civic duties, like, say, taxes and DMV visits, etc. I super resent that my 18 yo son will have to register for the draft any day now when his notice arrives . . . I still do them, even when I resent them. Some of them I even totally agree with (most of them in fact), but that doesn't mean they don't get under my skin. Similarly, I'd resent, but comply with, the jury duty requirements.

Regular buys: + Vitamins & supplements + IZZE Sodas + Mrs. Meyers handsoap (3 pack) + Neutrogena Grapefruit Face wash (3 pack) + guitar strings + Sparkle paper towels + Flax seed oil + dish washer detergent Also, there are some some cheapies that I leave on the list if I'm nearing below 5 items, such as: + Single tube Colgate MaxFresh toothpaste Look at the coupon page to get ideas for cheap-with-coupon items .... such as: + nuts

Get more specific on crowd size and type of meal/party, and I bet you will get lots of concrete, helpful ideas. Our "big" parties are usually 40-60 people for a dinner/cook out type party. For special events (graduations, etc), we do a "nicer" meal than simple burgers/bbq (which are also awesome, lol), but we still keep it casual. We like Carne Asada + fixings for "fancy" CA style tacos . . . or a big beef roast . . . or pulled pork & picnic stuff . . . I'm sure ladies here will have lots of good ideas depending on time of year, size of crowd, etc. Get a little more specific. Oh, and FWIW, so far as food volume, I'm no help because we always make about twice the food we need, no matter what, lol. I just try to freeze left overs as feasible (at least the pricey meats, etc.) But, I always make way too much. :)

Well, I think I'd made it pretty clear that abuse/evil took filial piety off the table, and I'd left the definitions of those terms up to those in their position. I'd never argue with someone who said, "My mom is horribly hateful to me/my kid/my spouse, and so I don't talk to her." Or, whatever, it's not my business on a personal level. We each walk our walk. I was making a very general and principled argument in favor of filial piety. And, it was clearly supportive of OP, so I was not / am not looking to put salt in any wounds. In general, my post was intended towards the OP's frame of reference -- who doesn't sound evil or awful and who I'd give the benefit of doubt that she, like 90-99% of parents, gave a whole, whole lot to her kids . . . (Gosh, who does NOT, unless, they are, in my mind evil and/or awful people who never deserved kids and surely don't deserve anything from them) and also to another poster who, herself, doesn't expect/require relationships from her OWN kids. That boggles my mind, because unless she understands that she's an evil SOB (very sad, and in which case, I really don't mind offending her), then, in my mind, her kiddo rejecting her outright would be indicative of evil and/or mental illness. So, in that frame work, assuming decent people who tried to do a decent job, and didn't completely f*ck up, and loved/love their kids, then, yep, I totally stand by what I wrote. We're not islands. We don't come on this earth in isolation and rear ourselves out of an egg on a lonely seashore like a sea turtle or something. Somebody raises us, loves us, makes us who we are, for years to decades, of near constant care and devotion -- just to keep us alive for a dozen years, let alone to get us to be educated and fully functional adults. Most times, it's the parents who do all that. So, we owe them a lot. Period. That's *my* moral and ethical perspective, and a value that is core to who I am. You are utterly free to disagree with me, but I won't waver on it. (And, if it wasn't your parents who did it, maybe you owe it to your aunt or grandma or that foster parent or whoever.) My parents weren't perfect. Their parents weren't perfect. In my beautiful family tree, I have plenty of dysfunction, addiction, and even some abuse -- mostly fortunately further back in my ancestral lines, but there, for sure. No perfect people in my family, none in my house either, and none in my shoes. We do the best we can with what we're given, become the best we can be with what we can make out of ourselves . . . and part of doing that best we can and being the best we can is BOTH paying it forward to the next generation AND paying it back to the older generations. THAT is the core foundation of my moral universe. I don't worship a deity or believe in any formal religion, but I have a moral code, and that's the core of it, so you won't be successful talking me out of it anymore than I'd be successful talking any of our religious board members out of their beliefs. I simply find it incredulous that there are those who don't share a basic value of filial piety. I've actually never known anyone, ever, in person, who didn't share that general value. Plenty of people have limited or even no relationship with their parent(s) due to a history of abuse or similar deeply damaging interactions or even just because they have little in common and neither side makes the effort, but, no, before today, I've never known anyone or even heard anyone clearly argue that, barring abuse/neglect/evil, children have a duty to some sort of relationship and respect towards their parents. I find it utterly mind boggling.

Gently . . . I had my momma live with us her last 18 months, and it was the hardest and best thing I've ever done. I would do nothing different, even though it was so brutally hard. But . . . In your shoes, I'd find my dad a nice nursing home and move him in ASAP. That's that. If he's broke, he'll qualify for Medicaid. If he's not that broke yet, he'll just have to spend down his money and then transition to Medicaid (that's typical). If he has substantial funds (say over 100k), talk to an Elder Law attorney NOW about strategies to spend down his funds towards things he'll NEED later (and won't have $ for), etc. Next time he goes into the hospital and ends up in rehab, you need to make sure he goes straight into a placement. DO NOT LET THEM RELEASE HIM TO YOU. If you remove the option of him living with you, they'll have to find him a place. That's that. They're not gonna' put him on the street. Do your research now on finding a good placement. Talk to locals who know the local options and figure out the finances/logistics of getting him in somewhere. Most facilities have social workers and obviously deal with this stuff all day long, so you'll find people who can advise you. You might even be able to move him in directly ASAP w/o another hospitalization, who knows. Ask. Visit places. Talk. End of the day, no way is this a tenable living situation long term, IMHO. I'd find him some place as nice as possible, visit often, bring him out to visit you often, but, I'd have a short count down to moving him out of my home. So sorry you are struggling with this. It is more than I could bear. You've done MORE than your duty. (((hugs)))

I just have to say that it boggles my mind that (some) people (here) don't see an ethical/moral obligation to their parents as part of the human condition. I can agree that if you have TOXIC or EVIL parents, for sure, they've "torn up their parent cards", and I can totally see cutting ties, permanently or for however long you want. And, sure, you can take a break here or there for a few weeks or even months, with a gentle explanation of time needed, if you need that because of something you are going through whether or not it even directly involves your folks. But, short of that, I believe we have a (high) duty to our parents. Filial duty is certainly a foundational tenet of the vast majority of world religions and civilizations across the history of time. I don't think this is a coincidence, but rather a reflection of a core value in the human condition. I don't believe that human beings are solo agents. We are communal creatures, by nature and by rights. We have families and clans, permanent, life-long bonds of reciprocal obligation and support. Exactly how much and what kind of duties we owe to our parents is certainly flexible and up for a lot of leeway, but to think that we don't owe them a relationship? Don't owe them a 10 minute chat most weeks? Don't owe them an occasional visit? Yes, yes, and more. I was super close to both my parents (they're both gone now), and dh *was* super close to his folks up until THEY chose not to exert effort once dh got a very busy life as a more mature adult . . . . We still answer their calls, respond to their outreaches, recognize events, invite them to major events, stop by when we are driving through their area of the country, and we show up for the periodic mandatory family event every few years (wedding across the country this weekend, TYVM, ick, but we're making it fun by adding vacation time for ourselves . . .) We really don't have much in common with them personally/values, have no deep relationships, but we RESPECT them enough to reciprocate kindness and extend grace. TBH, I have plenty of reasons to dislike and resent them, but THEY GAVE ME DH, and, for that, I can and will give them respect and kindness for their entire lives, full stop, no questions. Similarly, your parents (unless they are horrible people), gave you life, gave you SO SO MUCH, that to think you are so unappreciative and, really, indecent, that you'd not be willing to extend yourself just a bit in kindness in a relationship just boggles my mind. I honestly think it'd reflect a serious emotional or mental illness, or a simply awful lack of character, on the adult child's part to reject a loving/good parent that way. What a horrible selfish, awful, ugly, lonesome way to go about life. I'm very glad my family has a deep and abiding culture of filial respect. People in my family take care of their kids, are loving to their grandkids, are "in it together", period. And, those kids and grandkids have genuine appreciation, if not usually plenty of affection, for their elders, show duty towards and reciprocate that caring when it is "our turn." If my adult kids changed this pattern, and rejected relationship with us, it'd break my heart. I'd see it as a great parenting failure that I'd failed to instill those wonderful, enriching, life-affirming relationships among the generations that is the root of everything good that my family has been for hundreds of years. I can look at each and every generation back to my great-great grandparents, each and every one, in my direct ancestral family, and see clearly how greatly their lives were enriched by their parents and grandparents support and also how each of those people, in turn, loved/supported/enriched the lives of their own parents +/- grandparents. And, I'd miss my babies with a profound longing that I can't even fathom; it is too fearsome to imagine.

Awww, you didn't ruin anything. Just make SURE they are working THIS summer. I'd LITERALLY make my kids go work at McD or wherever by that age if they hadn't found a "good" career type summer job. Give them the car keys, send them to the mall(s) for the day to put in applications at Target, groceries, fast food, whereever. My mom used to do that to us . . . we worked every summer age 14+. Summer came, money train stopped, we worked, lol. My brother had a really fancy/impressive paid internship his 16th summer ... His 17th summer, he had no such fancy thing lined up . . . A week into summer, and he was "GETTING A JOB" that day. Worked at Arby's all summer. It was all good. He later got great jobs and makes bank as an IT executive now adays. :) Begin from today! Send those boys out to land jobs!!! (STOP the money train for the summer! That's critical!)

Well, some of those things are super cheap, but labor intensive. For instance, drywall is like dirt cheap, surely under $200 for a bed room. So, that one bedroom project could be done with nearly no expense. So, first of all, I'd prioritize getting the cheap-but-labor-intensive stuff DONE since you don't want stacks of materials around anyway. Get that stuff good and done before putting more cash into more materials. Second of all, if you are in the stock market, as you are, you've GOT to ignore the chatter about market timing. Google up "market timing" and you will see that every single smart personal investment advisor in the universe tells you not to do it. Ever. You will absolutely lose money over the long term if you do that. You are NOT gonna' be better at market timing than the guys who run the big funds who do it for 10,000,000/yr. And even THOSE guys suck at it. Really. Stock market investing has got to be a set-it-and-forget-it thing for us little people if you don't want to lose long term. Believe me, I was freaking out about the markets on Nov 9. I was sooooo worried that we'd lose a lot . . . and good grief, the market is up like 13-15% in the last 6 mos. WTF? That's nuts, I have no idea how all these investors aren't as freaked out as I am about worldwide economic catastrophe, but, well, whatever. I stuck to my plan -- set it and forget it -- and I keep sending in my contributions . . . and our accounts are higher than ever. I *know* that over the years, they come down and then go up. Seen it before, will see it again. It's cool, because that money is in there for decades, not months . . . SO, anyway, that's my 2c on your market timing thoughts. DON'T. On the other hand, if you want/need to spend those investment accounts, go for it. Just be sure to factor in any taxes. You've probably got some long-term capital gains (and possibly some short term) in those accounts that you'll capture upon sale. If you are gonna sell investments to pay for the home improvements, I'd do it methodically . . . First do your free/cheap improvements w/o selling anything. Then sell, say, $1-5k increments, enough to get supplies for 1-2 projects . . . Don't sell more until you're done with the last batch of projects. I'd do it this way because otherwise, it's too easy to either buy a bunch of supplies that sit and make me crazy not getting used . . . or spend the $$ on other things and not get the projects done! Besides, this does a bit of "dollar cost averaging" for your sales, which reduces the risk of market timing inherent in a larger one time sale.

Yup. Not having work experience as a 20+ year old can be a job-offer-killer for sure. I've watched my dd20's college pals (engineering students) applying/interviewing for these awesome co-op jobs . . . (long long paid internships -- year of work experience in semesters alternating with school terms) . . . Of her good buddies, just one has as-yet-failed-to-land a co-op offer. This gal is a super smart, high grades, personable kid in a sought after field. But, she's never had a paid job of any sort. College summers, she does study abroad of summer classes ... High school summers she went to amazing camps and traveled with family . . . I KNOW that the reason she can't land any co-op offers is because who on earth wants to risk a YEAR LONG well paid hire (whose real sole benefit to the employer has got to be post-grad recruitment) . . . on a kid who has never held any job. We insisted dd20 do a "real job" her first college summer for exactly this reason. In her case, we didn't care if she earned $$ (she has large earned merit scholarships, so she's doing her part) . . . but we knew she needed the solid work experience on her resume (to beef up the various small PT TA job she'd had, etc.). So, she did a FT unpaid internship with a local outdoor education school (and a 1 day/week paid job at the associated private school). Anyway, she had an awesome summer, and when she was interviewing for co-op jobs that fall, she NAILED the interviews with awesome answers based on her experiences working that summer . . . and she landed her first choice company. So, anyway, I don't think it's critical to have TONS of work experience by age 20, but, in our house, I really do prioritize it by age 19, to get at least one solid summer job under the belt (and at least one within the past 20 months over the college years, so say at least one every other summer if not working during the year) -- paid or unpaid, whatever, as long as it is treated by the worker and employer as a "real" job. I don't think it matters much WHAT the job is, just so long as the kid has had SOME solid experience working for somebody, showing up, getting along, doing grunt work, not getting fired. :) We hire a lot of entry level young people at our workplace, and having SOME work experience (within the last 18 pos or so) is a HUGE plus. Hiring someone with a completely blank resume is very scary and most often doesn't end well, so it's just not worth the risk when there are better alternatives in the resume pile.

How about just fly the one kid out to meet you, missing the driving part, but there for the main stuff. He can probably earn enough in the extra days he works to cover most/all of his flight.

Is this a family pattern? If your family has a history of this sort of thing, then it's a tough nut to crack, and I'd suggest trying counseling personally first, and then, with guidance, inviting your daughter to join you in some sessions if the therapist isn't able to coach you through cracking the barrier without direct assistance. I've found a lot of families have this sort of pattern where various aunts and uncles and parents and kids just don't talk for extended periods, with no explanation, just freezing out, well, they tend to repeat and repeat through generations. I think you are VERY smart not to involve your other children in the drama. If this is an out-of-left-field-our-family-never-does-this, then I'd be very freaked out. I'd definitely reach out, show up in person if required, and beg to talk it out. I couldn't bear to be separated from my kid like that, and I'd do anything I could to make it right. I'd certainly be sending texts and pics and happy messages at least every few days. If I couldn't make real contact within a few weeks, I'd be flipping out. I sure hope I never have to face that! It must break your momma-heart! Once you figure out the problem(s), then you can figure out the solution(s), but you've got to get talking first. Figuring out how to relate to my kids as adults is a HUGE transition for me, and much harder than parenting littles was. As I told my son last week when he turned 18, we're in this TOGETHER now, and we are responsible together, as partners, for our relationship. We EACH have to evolve, and, frankly, I think that's probably a LOT harder for us moms than for the kids. They are naturally growing into adults . . . we have to let go of our babes and embrace our grown up kids . . . and then they can embrace us back . . . I'm not the boss anymore . . . That's a good thing, but it's a steep learning curve! I hope you find harmony with your kid! (((hugs)))

My older 2 have both CLEP'ed out of Spanish. Each time, I bought the official CLEP Prep book that has a couple practice tests, or maybe it's just one. And some general info on the exam. You can download a subject specific one from the College Board when you pay for your CLEP test (or ahead of time), or you can buy a big blue book on Amazon, etc. We also bought some after-market REA prep book on Amazon. I think they each spent a couple/few hours practicing a test, so they got familiar with the question organization, etc. They could have studied more, but they didn't, lol, and they both got high scores and did just fine. :) Languages are maybe more fluid than other subjects, though. I mean, they'd been learning Spanish for about a decade by the time they took their CLEPs, unlike, say a macroeconomics class that you could crank through in a semester or even less time with a good prep book . . . I'd think that some other topics might lend themselves better to targeted studying. At the end of the day, when looking at important standardized tests, I always buy at least a couple well rated prep books on Amazon, and my kids barely crack them, and then they still do just fine. I've wasted a LOT of money on exam prep books over the years, lol. You can re-test CLEP in 3 months if you're not happy with your score, so there's always that . . .

Well, no, because with the 2 semesters of college Spanish, you've essentially repeated the first two years of high school Spanish, so you haven't achieved the level of a student who has had 4 years of one language at the high school level (or 4 semesters at college level). That said, it's a rare school that would require 4 year study of a single language. Possible, but rare. If you want to get to the "4 year" level, I'd aim for getting through 4th semester Spanish at the college.

No cash! Parents don't pay their adult kids (for anything) in my world unless there is a clear need for financial support and an intentional (temporary) choice to do that. So, I'd treat a bf/gf similarly, unless this was their business and you'd clearly "hired" them. At least in my family, Mom did all our legal work for free, we did all her vet work for free, my brother did all her technology work for free, etc. That's just the way we rolled and I loved that feeling of being in it together. It'd have been sad and depressing to give Mom a bill for her cat's medical care, etc. If desired, I think a fun gift card would be lovely if you know somewhere he likes to spend $$. I wouldn't BUY the technological item because if he's into tech, he might be very particular about what he wants. Amazon Gift Card always works, lol.

BTDT. Apologize abjectly. Call yourself an ass. Explain. Send liquor, cookies, or flowers, recipient depending.

A really good floor box fan is pretty effective in cooling . . . A strong $100 utility fan, pointed OUT a window (upstairs) will draw cool comfy air in through several other windows in a good size house. Trick is to get a STRONG utility fan for this purpose. Set it up at sun down, and man alive, the whole house feels so good. We've done this over the years in houses w/ and w/o A/C, just because we love the cool night air. That'd allow you to reserve your A/C use for day time . . . (or you can seal off your room and run your A/C all night, using the fan system for the rest of the house.) I remember sleeping on the hard wood floor in the hall . . . in front of a box fan . . . inside a wind tunnel made by securing an old sheet around the fan. :) It was really comfy. Crazy thing is, we had central A/C in a well constructed modern house. I guess my folks were just being frugal, lol.

My husband had a client who told stories of somehow gassing out her entire house periodically to drive out and/or kill the snakes. I think it was carbon monoxide or something else rather scary. Maybe even explosive, lol. It definitely sounded dangerous. It seems like they did it over one season (winter?) but I don't recall which. It was really scary, but the snakes sounded really scary, too. So, maybe google this idea up, but definitely be careful. Yoikes.

I'd probably smear the red area with antibiotic ointment or possibly just Vaseline a couple times a day. Poor little fellow. Definitely make sure that, if the foreskin was already retracting (as it sounds like it was), that you clean it carefully and lubricate it at least with whatever you've used for diapering (if not antibiotic ointment) a couple times a day. You don't want the sore skin to scab/heal together in some sort of adhesion.

1) Use Kilz Oil Based Primer (NOT THE LATEX) on the concrete/subfloor/etc before repainting and/or recarpeting impacted areas. 2) Personally, instead of re-carpeting the living space, I'd put down a solid floor such as tile or even sheet vinyl. Then, no more worries about cleaning up the urine. 3) Buy a gallon (or more) of Nature's Miracle (I like the orange scent) and follow label instructions to deal with new spots. 4) Teach your kids to banish doggy from other carpeted spaces (their bedrooms, etc.) until/unless the urination issue is solved. You might want to use a baby gate or two to more easily banish doggy from entire parts of the house if that's feasible. Self-closing hinges on relevant doors are a cheap, easy, and effective way to help the kids keep doors shut. (And cheap rubber stoppers under said doors can prop them open on occasion if desired.) 5) Google up how to house train an adult dog. Choose methods that are 100% NOT punitive. (No yelling, scaring, hitting, etc.) 6) Schedule a vet visit for a check up and a consultation on the issue. There are solvable medical issues that can cause this, plus the vet can advise on training. 7) Launder everything possible. 8) Consider (washable) doggy-diapers if feasible, although that would be complicated by the doggy door issue. 9) You may need to lock/block the doggy door for a few weeks while using a more structured house training plan with or without using diapers to protect the house during periods you can't immediately supervise the dog. 10) Alternately, if you can't house train the dog readily with the door in use, you may need/want to block/lock the doggy door semi-permanently and rely on diapers while inside and a frequent, structured going-out-to-potty schedule. It is highly likely that if you can religiously adhere to some reasonable house training routine, you can house train the dog. This is a highly reliable veterinary-approved source for medical and behavior guidance . . . There are a bunch on house training. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47 -- scroll down for several articles on house training http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=1118&S=1&SourceID=47 -- a good place to start

Once, I walked down a train track for hours. I didn't get hit by a train. Health insurance, I've always had. So can't help you with that one. Life's a gamble. (((hugs))) to all the warriors in the health care nightmare that passes for medicine in the U.S. (I've probably racked up 10k in ER and DR offices in under a month just getting to a preliminary diagnosis of Lyme disease -- should have been simple, right, so I'm not in the mood for gambling on not being insured, despite the nightmare it is.)

And that of WV!!

ps. I've been assuming your mom holds these funds in a taxable account, i.e., a normal brokerage account and NOT an IRA or 401K or similar tax-deferred type of account. If she's holding the stock in any of those tax-preferred accounts then she will have to pay regular income tax when she withdraws anything from the IRA or 401k. (And she will NOT pay capital gains on those sales, but income tax is usually higher than cap gains.)

You can only inherit it (tax-free with a stepped up basis) after she's passed away. If you take it before then, you take HER basis as YOUR basis and have to pay taxes on gains if/when you sell it. If you just hold on to it and don't sell it, you won't pay any taxes on it. One little trick I used many years ago when I had some very-low-basis stock I'd been gifted was to transfer parts of it to each of my kids and then sell a tiny bit (IIRC, $600/yr back then. I think it's up to 1000/yr today) in each of their names, as up to that amount cap gains was 0 rate for the kids. Then I put those little bits into their Educational IRAs (AKA Coverdell Accounts). Wasn't a huge amount of money, but it added up over time, and once it was moved into the EDIRAs, it grew tax free, and now it's sitting there waiting for us to spend when we need it for college expenses (and can be transferred among your kids or even to grandkids if you don't need to use it for the kid it was initially set up for). Google up (or ask your CPA) the cap gains rates for you and your kids, and see if that approach makes sense. I did that in the 90s, so taxes have changed a lot since then. Back then, our taxes were simple enough that I figured it all out myself with TurboTax, but now our tax situation is way too complicated to DIY, so I now rely on a CPA to answer these sorts of questions. Also, consider your mom's cap gains rate. If she has a lower cap gains rate than you do, then it might make more sense for her to sell the stock and pay the taxes and then give you what's left over after taxes. Looks to me that if your total income is under 75k (married filing jointly), your cap gains rate is 0. So, if your taxable income would be 50k w/o the stock sale, you could sell 25k of GAIN tax free, and then whatever you sell beyond that would be taxed at 15% or even 20% if your income is very high. http://www.bankrate.com/finance/taxes/capital-gains-tax-rates-1.aspx So, anyway, look at the options for selling BEFORE the gift is made (mom's name), after the gift to you (your name and/or your spouse's), or even after gifting some to your kids (in each of their names) . . . You can transfer however much you want to each kid (set up Uniform Gift to Minor Accounts with your brokerage -- I recommend Vanguard), and then sell 1000 worth of GAIN each year, then reinvest it into either long term investments (education accounts or whatever) or simply spend it on the kid's behalf for camps, extracurriculars, etc. Totally kosher, and now you've "captured" that 1000 worth of gain, so the basis is higher . . . which is good when it eventually gets cashed out -- especially if you leave the money in taxable accounts like a UGTM account. (This is all assuming these are LONG TERM gains, FYI.)