Live a life of dignity and joy.


14, 21



Best song for a good cry: “And so It Goes” by Billy Joel.


15, 21



Watch Abby Wambach's 2018 Barnard commencement address together.


16



Never follow an “I love you” with a “but...” Instead, follow it with “and...” or “that’s why...” Remember this when they’re young, teach it to them when they’re older.


10, 20



Visit Aunt Janet in Morehead City for Seafood Festival in October


2-99



The moment you lose your cool, you’ve lost.


12,13, 14, 15, 16, 21



Book: “victory. Stand!” By Tommie Smith


14



Adopting a “do it right now” mentality has done wonders for my organization


10, 12, 16



The opposite of addiction is connection. Genuine connection can take lots of forms.


14, 17, 19, 21



Read article about Digital Learning/ transitioning to doing homework on a computer. http://community.today.com/parentingteam/post/it-doesnt-have-to-stay-on-the-screen


10



I wish you had known my father he was such a good man gentle and loving. One early memory I have of him is that one night in our neighborhood I was hit by a bike - a boy was riding his bike and road up on the sidewalk and ran right into me. The bike hit me in the face with the handlebars and I was knocked down before I knew what happened. My father scooped me up and carried me back home. I was crying the whole time. the funny thing is I don't remember the pain, but I very clearly remember being in his arms and hearing the clip clop clip clop of his shoes. It was an after dinner walk - he was still in his suit from work and he had his loafers on and made a clip clop on the sidewalk I will never forget the feeling of being carried in his arms as he hurried back to the house to take care of me. I was in pain but I knew I would be OK. I miss him very much and I wish you knew him.


15



In professional setting: Limit one exclamation point per email, if any. Definitely no emoticons.


19



Talk about how to speak up for themselves and others.


1Infant-12, 16, 21



Sometimes we outgrow relationships. It’s no one’s fault. It’s okay to move on. You’ve grown…Don’t abandon your healthier self for a relationship.


14, 16,



Check in on your friends. Even the ones that seem fine.


14-21



1

Robin Williams was one of the best examples of how to be a good human.


15, 19, 21



Read “Raising a Screen Smart Kid” by Julianna Miner before you consider giving him a phone.


10



Dress to people will listen to you, not look at you. (This is especially true at school and work.)


15, 18, 21



1

My dad was a Marine. He enlisted at 18 with his buddies during he Korean War. He was never a "typical" Marine, always a gentle spirit and rarely spoke about his days in Korea. One carry-over was kind of a little inside joke he had with his buddies in the war: They used the expression "Semper Fi" sarcastically, in the opposite way it's meant. When they said it to each other it meant "I got mine, you're on your own. Fend for yourself." We always used to joke about it too when little things happened like there was no more milk for the cereal, "Semper Fi." Of course the irony is that my dad and his Marine buddies were the very definition of faithful when it came to the big stuff. They just liked to joke about the little stuff. Still use it jokingly that way to this day.


18



It’s best not to cuss but writing bad words is even worse than speaking them. Even in casual texting, etc. Always an asterisk in place of a vowel to avoid being rude.


16



When making decisions or having a disagreement, it’s very easy to get stuck in defense of your position because we just feel so strongly about it. Without realizing it, we can discount good alternatives and or fail to see the strengths of other people’s viewpoints. As an exercise to avoid getting caught in this trap, make a habit of listing 3 reasons why you might be wrong. Stretch to accommodate the possibility that your strongly-held belief just may be wrong.


14, 18, 21



Talking to people you disagree with is sometimes difficult. But it doesn’t have to be. Enter every conversion assuming you have something to learn.


14, 18, 21



You don’t owe me a thing. Live your life as you will. I will always love you.


18, 21



Look into YMCA “family camp” in PA.


7



Teach tuck to drive


15



“Write hard and clear about what hurts.” - Ernest Hemingway


12, 15, 21



“Anger is the part of yourself that loves you the most. It knows when you are being mistreated, neglected, or disrespected. It signals that you have to take a step out of a place that doesn’t do you justice. It makes you aware that you need to leave a room, a job, a relationship, and old patterns that don’t work for you anymore. Learn to listen to your anger and make it your best friend. Then it’ll leave.” -author unknown


11, 14, 16, 19, 21



No bragging. Don’t toot your own horn.


11, 15, 21