Practice road-rage roll playing. People are NUTS! It's hard to imagine how you'll react when someone gets aggressive with you. Let's practice staying calm when someone is shouting and in your face.


15-17



It’s not fair to resent someone for being exactly who they are.


17, 21



Bring Christmas cookies to local fire station and police station. (Annually)


6



1

Look into summer jobs at national parks.


15, 17



Just fill ‘em with love. Every other parenting mistake or deficit can be fixed, but if a child grows up thinking it’s not loved and doesn’t have a place in this world, that is a recipe for permanent and painful damage. Not necessarily “spoil” them, but cut them slack as often as possible. Just love ‘em up.


Infant-21



To paraphrase Chris Rock, “You don’t get points for NOT beating your wife.” Meaning, you’re EXPECTED to do the right thing. So do the right thing, without any expectation of praise.


14, 18



Don't say anything out loud that you wouldn't want repeated or overheard. Don't email / text, etc. anything that you wouldn't want forwarded.


11-15



1

Consider what you value. Act accordingly.


10, 14, 17, 20



Piano


21



Emphasize "First things first." Distraction is always a challenge. Redirect focus to first things first.


5



Turn off main water line when you leave on vacation.


21



Santa not being real https://i.pinimg.com/736x/73/39/2a/73392a10d420aed79074da6511b131a7.jpg


11



Read the Hobbit aloud with him. Afterward, encourage him to read The Lord of the Rings by himself.


9



Life doesn’t need to be perfect to be beautiful.


20



It's very important to me, the idea of the scale of good and bad, of beauty and suffering. I think we should do everything we can to increase the beauty and to take away from the suffering. We have to work hard to tip the scale in the direction of good.


1Infant-14



C.S. Lewis books. (Children’s and adult.)


12, 21



Talk about how to act respectfully and be inclusive of children with disabilities and facial deformities, etc.


5-10



Be mindful of privilege. Discuss the concept, point it out where you see it.


11-18



A mommy-friend of mine gave me some good advice: "Count the wins." So what if you didn't clean the house, you showered! So what if she's wearing 9 different colors - she dressed herself! Great advice. So remember, especially on the difficult days - and there will be many: Count the wins.


1



"Love is nothing more and nothing less than relentlessly showing up for your people." - Glennon Doyle


18-21



Build a backyard adventure camp


8



Give people the benefit of the doubt. Unless someone gives you a reason not to trust them, assign the best possible motive to their actions.


14-18



When something is upsetting you...Name it...Take a deep breath...Imagine holding it gently in your hands. (This is a reminder to use this visualization myself and to teach it to you. I want to give you as many tools as I can to help you learn to cope with negative emotions in a healthy way.)


11



1

Your job is to help your kids find themselves, not to implant an agenda of your own.


1, 5, 10, 15, 20



The mind replays what the heart wants to heal.


16



Have dinner guests sign the under side of the dining room table. Let the kids’ friends sign too - or have their own version of a guestbook - the inside of a cabinet or the basement door, etc.


5, 12-14



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


16-21



People always say “Be yourself.” That’s good advice but really what does it mean? I think it’s easier to explain what it DOESN’T mean: When you’re being yourself you’re not pretending to be interested in something or someone you’re not. You’re not doing something just to please someone else (or just to tick them off.) You’re not wearing anything that makes you feel uncomfortable. You’re not pretending to have fun when you’re not having fun. You’re not trying to impress anyone. You’re not trying to fade into the background. You’re not trying to change anything about yourself or someone else. I think that’s a good start. What does “being yourself” mean to you?


11-14, 18, 21



One of the best doctors I ever worked with started his day by walking through the office and saying “good morning” to everyone. He’d do the same before he left at the end of the day, just making sure everyone was ok, to call him if they needed anything, etc. I don’t know what your career will be but if you’re in a position to do so, I hope you’ll adopt this habit.


21



Read A Mother’s Reckoning by Sue Klebold (mother of Columbine shooter.)


12