The shutdown tells us what we already know

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We’re over a month into the government shutdown.

The headlines are blurring together, but for the markets and parents, we’ve been through this before. 

Shutdowns follow a similar pattern.

There are missed deadlines, frozen budgets, finger-pointing, and adults yelling.

You know the drill. 

At home, it’s not much different. 

Dinner’s late, school projects are unfinished, everyone’s tired, and no one’s listening. 

It’s chaos in its purest form. 

Shutdowns test patience before they test performance.

Since 1976, there have been 21 government shutdowns in the U.S.

During those periods, the S&P 500 has averaged a +0.1% return and +2.1% in the month after reopening.

The market’s learned what most parents already know:

It might get loud, but it rarely lasts.

Shutdowns, although frustrating, reveal what’s essential like who you can count on, what work needs to be done, and where you waste the most energy.

For investors, it’s a reminder to take a step back.

For parents, it’s a gentle reminder to focus on what actually makes a difference. Not what makes the most noise.

When things stall, in D.C., in markets, or at home, I try to ask:

What’s still in motion that I can influence today?

That question turns shutdowns into checkpoints, and it shifts your mindset from waiting to operating.

Remember, markets will reopen, and the kids will eventually calm down.

And guess what? You’ll still be there,  coffee in hand, finding a way forward.

PS If you know another parent working in capital markets, forward this or share this link; we’d love to have them join the Capital Markets Dad community.

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