Drill on stuff that will be valuable throughout their lifetime: Vocabulary, geography, addition and subtraction.


10, 12, 14, 20



Plan a few screen-free weekends every year. (Reticket until 16.)


7



Teach tuck to drive


15



Resist the urge to give unsolicited advice. Wait…this entire thing is unsolicited advice!


15



Review basic grammar mistakes: Their, they’re and there. “It’s” and “its” “a lot”, etc.


10



Typically, brains aren’t mature until about age 25. ADHD brains take longer


17, 21



You an learn just about anything on Google or YouTube! Spend some time exploring together and caution about how to search safely.


9



Sometimes you have to put aside how you feel about a person and objectively look at how their actions show how they feel about *you.*


16



My mom used to proudly describe herself as an “Irish Catholic Democrat.” I think my dad voted for Reagan once but other than that we’re all pretty liberal.


18



Getting dumped from a bad relationship or fired from a job that’s killing you is kind of like pooping your pants: Horrifying...but also a little bit of relief. Keep your perspective and you’ll be fine. xoxo.


20



Of all the things I worry about, addiction is very high on the list. Begin talks (age appropriate) about addiction.


7



Go out of your way to part on good terms whenever possible, in all circumstances.


18



Go for walks together as a family before or after dinner. Sometimes we go for distance, sometimes we call them "safaris" and look for as many living creatures as we can find.


4



Re-Read "Girls and Sex: Navigating the New Landscape" by Peggy Orenstein.


13



Don't let the laundry pile up. This lessons extends to pretty much every chore: Stay ahead of it and you won't get crushed by it.


17



Psalm 37:3 “Do good and trust in the Lord.” That pretty much covers it.


9, 15, 21



Life is hard. But it's not so hard you can't figure it out. You're going to be fine. xoxo


11-21



Make a Shutterfly book for each year and give it to them on their birthday.


5-18



Set up automatic payments so they are initiated on your end, so that you send out money to the bill/ company you’re paying instead of giving them access to take money out of your account.


20



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



“Be curious. Read. Use the latest tools available to you.” - Bill Gates when asked for his advice to young people in the dawn of AI era.


12, 14, 16, 18



To paraphrase Ted Lasso, it’s the people who think they’ve got it all figured out who delight in judging people and events. It’s better to be open minded, ask questions. Be curious, not judgmental.


15, 21



You're about to come into a ton of energy and strength. It will seem like a lot to manage at first, but you'll get used to it and learn to use it constructively. Push your limits (within reason.) Challenge yourself.


13



Give book "50 Things Every Young Lady Should Know" by Kay West.


14



Great article on making math fun: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/how-to-get-reluctant-children-to-embrace-math/2014/03/04/4be99e46-959d-11e3-8461-8a24c7bf0653_story.html


6



Dress for energetic alignment. Screw what other people think. Your ability to live a creative, wholehearted life is inversely proportional to how much you care what people think of you. (Care what YOU think of yourself. Express yourself however you can as long as you’re not causing harm or breaking the law. Have fun. Be gentle to yourself.


13, 15, 17, 19, 21



Fall in love with a person, not a feeling.


19



“Never be sorry for not knowing


17, 21



You may end up being a big shot, Good for you! But check yourself. The good lord wasn't above washing his friends' dirty feet so please don't feel like you're above any task that needs to be done. Enjoy your success but stay humble.


20