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



The kindest person in the room may not necessarily be the smartest. But the cruelest person is always the dumbest.


10, 15, 21



Harm springs from excess.


12



Here’s something I wish wasn’t true but is: Looks matter. This is true for anyone but 100x more so for a woman. Take care of yourself. Stay in good shape, eat well, wear sunscreen, dress well and be well-groomed. It shouldn’t matter but it does. (But try not to judge other people by their appearance- Often times the very best people (friends, spouses, job applicants, etc.) don’t look like movie stars. Far from it!) Yes, looks matter but I hope you value true beauty more.


12, 19



Have somebody take him skiing. I never learned to ski but I hope he learns to ski or snowboard.


6-11



Things are rarely black and white. Most situations (and all people) are complex. A nuanced approach is necessary to understand them. You can’t learn - or love, if you’re judging.


17



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


12, 15, 21



Teach him what to do and how to act if he gets pulled over.


16



Just for the record, I didn’t vote for Trump. I want my great-grandchildren to know that.


18



1

Read up on the adolescent brain.


11, 13



Spread kindness like confetti.


12, 21



Discuss prescription (and OTC) medications. Doctors prescribe or recommend these medicines, they’re not for fun and should be taken seriously. Discuss how medicines are obtained, never shared, which is dangerous and illegal. Emphasize the risk of dependence.


10



Teach them that when we hear sirens it means someone is in trouble but help is on the way.


2-5



Practice “going without.” Talk about how nobody gets what they want all the time. We should learn how to just choose to go without something we want. Get them in on the discussion and pick something every day to do without.


5-9



Check your ego. Often.


17, 21



Your brain seeks novelty. Try new things as long as you live. Take risks (but not safety risks!)


20



Chemistry is not the same thing as compatibility.


16, 19, 21



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



Sometimes you just have to let go. Let go of a relationship, or a dream, or plans. Let go of a person, a pet, or an object. It's hard. It takes a lot of trust. Trust the Lord will heal the wound, no matter how deep. His goodness is infinite.


16



Tragedy may occur in your life, but it does not need to define your life. YOU get to do that...through the choices you make. _______I know you’ll make good ones. xo


19



Time is of the essence


16



Ask them “what would it take for you to_____?” (Keep your room clean, stay on top of your homework, feel like you had more control in this situation, etc.) Instead of nagging or lecturing, just ask.


13



vaccinate! Science is good.


0, 1, 2, 3, 5



“We don’t see the world as it is, we see the world as we are. - Prince Harry Or to put it simply, wherever you go, there you are.


12, 15, 21



You can get into big trouble (with school and the law) even by fake / joke threats of violence (bomb threat, etc.) No jokes or pranks that have anything to do with violence.


11



The only thing that matters is love. When we live with love - for God, for others and ourselves, that is what makes life worth living.


16



Anger is the bodyguard of sadness.


12-15, 21



Be weird. Be happy. Be you. xoxo


12



Grandpa used to keep a hundred dollar bill stashed discreetly in his wallet “for emergencies.”


17