Promise me you’ll never intentionally hurt anyone (including yourself.) There’s no need to suffer in silence, I will help you or get you to someone who can help you no matter what, no matter when, no matter why.


13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18



Mallomars in Christmas stockings. Mom NEVER buys Mallomars. But Santa does. (Reticket x 15 years.)


4



Ask him to memorize and recite William Ernest Henley poem “Invictus” as a Christmas present for me.


15



Teach tuck to drive


15



Don’t feed the thing you’re fighting.


13, 17, 21



If you ever borrow someone’s car, return it with a full tank of gas.


20



Camp Arena Stage


8



Never enter into (or stay in) a relationship with someone based on their “potential.” It’s a recipe for misery, resentment and frustration.


19



Name five women who contributed to our country’s history.


8, 13, 16



Discuss difference between foods that taste good vs. foods that make you FEEL good.


12-14



Give books. Inscribe them. Just a line or two can turn a good book into a treasure. Great for any occasion.


17



Watch The Last Lecture before school starts on a pivotal year, like middle school, high school.


11, 12, 13, 14, 15



Honesty without kindness is brutality. Kindness without honesty is manipulation. (That said, when anyone asks if that outfit makes them look fat, the answer is “you look perfect.”)


20



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


19, 21



Ask your emotions “why” three times.


14, 16, 21



Difficult conversations: Break-ups, layoffs, etc. happen. Practice delivering bad news and getting bad news.


15-21



Read Big Magic by Liz Gilbert. Re-read every 5-10 years.


19, 21



Read “Attack of the Black Rectangles” by Amy Sarid King.


12



Don’t bring a complaint without offering a solution.


17, 19, 21



Make sure they have resources other than us. Hotlines for teens such as Boys Town National Hotline, National $@!#% Prevention Lifeline, etc.


12



“Pirate Rules” is a temporary suspension of the usual rules. It means pretty much anything goes for this moment so we can all stay sane. ——-Loosen the rules on snacks, bedtime, screen time, etc. in special circumstances.


1-5



Remember Mom's birthday


2-21



Practice being embarrassed. Tell embarrassing stories. Help them learn how to deal with the sensation.


9



Philippians 4: 11-13


12



A person’s friends are a reflection of their character. Pick friends who you can be yourself around. Look for partners who have close friendships, a circle of friends who think highly of them.


14, 17, 21



If you’re anything like the rest of your family you will have a lot of opinions -and that’s OK! Just remember a couple of things: First: you have a right to your opinion but you do not have a right to your own facts. facts matter. seek the truth even if i it means you are proven wrong. And second, with regard to opinions ...it’s better to not express them so much if you can help it! You may be the first in the family to get this concept and put it into practice!


13-15



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



Pay attention to what people do and what they say. Try to look past their appearance. This is especially true for women, who are almost always judged primarily on the way they look.


12, 15, 19



Book “8 Candles and a Tree” about celebrating interfaith holidays.


7



"Tough times don't last. Tough people do."


11-14