If you ever have had one of those moments, it is unsettling. You fix your gaze on a son or daughter in a passing instant — watching TV, reading a book, eating dinner — and suddenly realize that your little kid is no longer aptly described as little. And you remember your parents’ warning about embracing every moment because “they grow up so fast”.

Time is a thief, indeed. Some day soon, that precious child will be turning 21, or graduating from college, or walking down the aisle toward the bliss of matrimony. You can prepare for these landmark family occasions today. It is not merely a question of saving money for these events, but also of investing money.