Get up early on a Saturday and go downtown. See how fun it is to be up before the rest of the world.


7-9



Re-Read Tim Russert's Big Russ and Me.


14



Read biographies. So much to learn and discover by reading about the lives of great men and women. Ducksters.com is a great resource. Amazon and The Learning Well also have great lists. Just Google "biographies for kids."


5-15



One of my favorite scenes in a movie is James Bond with Pierce Brosnan. Bullets are whizzing by him and he just so of gives a mildly annoyed look while focusing on what he’s doing. It’s quintessential cool.


15, 21



90 seconds or less. No one wants to hear you talk for more than that. (In a personal setting like giving a toast.)


17, 21



Jump in and help where help is needed. Don’t wait to be asked. Whether it’s clearing dishes at home or friend’s house or tasks at work. It could be something big like solves problem or little, putting paper in the copy machine at work.


15, 18. 21



Begin colon cancer screening at 40. We have a family history on both sides.


21



Look into Rustic Pathways to see the world and do some good.


15



1

“For better or worse means no matter what life throws at us, not no matter what you do to me.” - Brenda Linn


19, 21



Anger diffuser game to help better understand coping skills when angry


8-18



Start explaining wants vs. needs. Continue explaining for the next 30 years. We don’t always get what we want. That’s okay. 4 year olds can begin to understand this.


4



Zootopia is a good movie to illustrate what a bully is and how we should stand up to them when they are hurting or taunting other kids.


5-8



If car breaks down, if at all possible, avoid pulling over on the highway. Get off the highway and pull to safety.


16



Follow your dreams…not your boyfriend’s.


16



Check out fencing. Local fencing club has classes for kids and adults all ages. They also do birthday parties, so that might be something different that would be fun for him and his friends.


10



Get talking. Trade off likes, fears, hopes, dreams, pet peeves, etc. I like... I get mad when... I dream about... It makes me sad when I see... I’m afraid of... I wonder about...


4, 8, 14



Some relationships (or jobs) are f*cked, and cannot be unf*cked. Release them and move on.


21



Share a few of our most embarrassing moments. Teach them it’s okay to laugh at yourself and even when you’re mortified in the moment being embarrassed isn’t fatal. (And it happens to everyone.)


11



Don’t feed the thing you’re fighting.


13, 17, 21



Practice not putting stuff off. If it takes 10 seconds or less do it now. Then move up to 30 seconds or less. Keep going up to ~3 minutes. Good example is putting away laundry or emptying dishwasher, etc.


15



Just because I forgive you, it doesn’t mean I trust you. Trust has to be earned.


15, 18, 21



Choose to love despite the rage. See poem by Lucas Jones “ I Will Teach My Sons to be Dangerous Men.”


12, 14, 16, 19, 21



Keep screen time to a minimum.


2-8



Geocaching


5-11



“ A vocation is where our anger and our joy meet.” -Sarah Bessey


16



"Make yourself proud." Teach them to take pride in themselves - in their work, their behavior. Everything from a 3 year-old making her bed to a 10 year-old's homework. If they learn to keep going until they're satisfied it's done well, they won't need us to keep after them.


4



“Parents detect fake friends. Kids detect fake relatives and friends detect fake love.” - I forget who’s grandma said it.


14



“The only way out is to love yourself. That’s it. That’s all.” - Valerie Bertinelli


10, 13, 17, 21



Keep stuff on hand for guests. Be ready to be a good host / hostess at any moment.


16-21