My Daughter's Portfolio Milestone

KFT and VIAB are the two companies in the portfolio that pay a dividend. The first 10 to 15 payments, admittedly, are pretty boring. But, how many investors allow this boredom to shake them out of a mundane and methodical investment strategy in favor of something that moves faster and is "exciting?"

When I was younger, I did.

In fact, in an article I wrote earlier this year over at Seeking Alpha, I detailed my bonehead decision to sell the 59 shares of McDonald's (MCD) I had accumulated between 1998 and 1999 in the company's Dividend Reinvestment Plan (DRIP).

Had I stayed the course, I estimated that, by the end of 2011, I would have had about 555 shares of MCD, worth (at the time) an estimated $55,683. That's a gain of more than 2,100%. To think that my daughter could be sitting on that much money or more come 2022 or so is not unrealistic. In fact, it's well within the realm of possibility.

I wish I had that type of head start at age 18. But even more so, I would have liked the head start along with the right attitude. Here's hoping enough light bulbs go off in my daughter's head over the course of the next ten years that she does the "right" thing with the money -- whatever that might be -- when she turns 18.

This article is commentary by an independent contributor, separate from TheStreet's regular news coverage.

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At the time of publication, the author was long KFT, MSG and VIAB in a custodial account he manages for his minor child.

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