Have family game nights this winter.


9



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


9, 15, 21



Use Shutterfly or something like it to make Christmas books and birthday books each year.


Infant-21



One of the funny/sensitive things about puberty is that kids can be the same age chronologically while being wildly varied in terms of development. Kid might be 6 feet tall in seventh grade or be a senior in high school and still not shaving. Everyone is self conscious, praying to avoid embarrassment. It’s all just part of growing up. Be kind to yourself and to your equally mortified peers.


11, 12, 13



Set up a dog agility course in the backyard. Use household items or toys, etc and lots of dog treats for training.


8



Write “thank you” notes, send pics of them wearing the outfit Grandma gave, etc. You get so many gifts...Be a grateful recipient.


7



Your life is way bigger than one relationship. Or one grade, or one job, or one choice, or one event, or one gift. Make room for all of it even when some of it will most certainly hurt.


17



Life isn’t a straight line, it’s so much more complex than that! Good things, bad things, boring or interesting things are all always happening. And always changing. So are you. And that’s good.


17, 21



A simple trick to calm your nerves: Name 5 things you can hear right now.


5-15



Read If He Had Been With Me by Laura Nowlin. Young adult coming of age story.


14, 17



Let’s talk about hungry kids. What can we do to help? Donate? Volunteer? Start a Little Free Pantry?


9



1

Learn to tie knots.


10



There’s a big difference between being tired and being fatigued.


19



“It takes about 20 years to build a reputation and 5 minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” - Warren Buffett


12, 14, 16, 19, 21



Be thankful for opportunities to be of service. It means God is trusting you to help.


8-14



Never trust your tongue when your heart is bitter. Hush until you heal.


12, 18



“Your warmth can be an invitation that unlocks their own.” - Elizabeth Lesser. I love this quote because it’s so true that when you’re kind and genuine, people respond. They take it as a signal that you are a safe place for them to express themselves, which will enable a true connection to be formed. You both win when that happens.


15, 21



Start a vegetable garden.


7



Go as a family to local high school musical productions.


9-13



1

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



Ladies, don’t waste a moment of your precious time trying to get a man’s attention. If he’s interested he will love heaven and earth to get YOUR attention. Save your energy for joy and work and learning and doing whatever floats your boat! Let him be the one to twist himself in knots.


15, 18, 20



Don’t Just “go along for the ride” in your relationships. Be clear about your intentions and act accordingly. It’s part of being a man. A GOOD man. Sometimes you just need to have a talk and make sure you’re both on the same page. It won’t $@!#% you!


16, 21



Make a pound of ground beef go further by adding chopped cabbage or mushrooms.


19



Sometimes progress is slow - Keep working. Sometimes change is swift - hang on!


16



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


9



Just love ‘em up. Be patient and kind. Be present. Listen. Play. Take care of their needs. Each one will be different and need you in different ways. That’s all, just fill them with love and security and they’ll grow up beautifully.


1-18



So many young adults (and older one too) suffer from a lack of direction, living life without a sense of purpose. ______Here’s my advice: **Do what you love**. ____If you don’t know what that is yet (totally okay) then *go where you’re needed.**___ Make yourself USEFUL doing some sort of work that makes the world (or your family or your community or your country) a better place. Please don’t sit around playing video games or goofing off. That will make you miserable! ___ AND it’s a waste of God’s work (you.) Get busy. _____Stay involved in anything you care about deeply, or that needs you desperately. It will feed your soul and open all kinds of doors.


12, 14, 17



Highly recommend book about math and multiplication techniques:“The Best of Times” by Greg Tang.


10



“Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people.” - Eleanor Roosevelt


13, 19



Check out news-for-kids websites like Dogo News and NBC Learn.


7