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



Wintergreen snow sledding trip.


6



“I don’t know what I think until I write about it.” - Joan Didion


15



Teach them to clean the bathroom. Wipe down surfaces, clean mirrors, etc. It’s their job to keep it tidy. Everybody pitches in to keep up with housework.


4-18



The person you have the most electric connection to may not be the ideal choice for a life partner.


15, 19, 21



“You have to meet people where they are. Sometimes, you have to leave them there.” -Iyanla Vanzant


21



YouTube Hank Green “Study Hall.” It talks about navigating the mess of college and career choices, like choosing a major (and what a major is!) What interests align with which majors, etc.


12, 15, 16



“Pick a problem - any problem,and do something about it. Because to somebody who is hurting, ‘something’ is everything.” -Oprah Winfrey


12-16



Shelter, water, Fire, food. (Outdoor survival priorities.)


12, 17



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


18



Assume any email or text you send will be distributed.


12, 15



Practice sitting and standing "like a statue" to teach them how to be still. Start with a goal of 5 or 10 seconds, gradually move to 2 minutes. Same thing for "silent game" to teach them how to stay quiet when they need to. Bribery helps teaching this concept!


3-4



Watch Abby Wambach's 2018 Barnard commencement address together.


16



Learn how to release energy consciously, or you’ll end up releasing it unconsciously onto your loved ones in a negative way like yelling or arguing. Breathe, sing, shout, cry, sweat, play, bake, whatever floats your boat!


1-21



One of the most difficult things in life will be to embrace difficult and unfamiliar ways in order to grow or heal. But doing so is the only way we can grow or heal. You can do hard things. Breathe deep and take it by moment if you have to.


18, 21



Find an activity / sport that they enjoy and support it. Get them outside and in the fresh air.


6-16



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



Date all kinds but marry someone who loves you for who you are, with whom you feel most yourself. Someone who will encourage you to grow more into the person you want to be. (And be good at encouraging them to do same.) Never fear or stifle each other’s growth. Celebrate it. Support it. Encourage it.


21



Buy “Good Pictures Bad Pictures: Porn-Proofing Today’s Young Kids” by Kristen Jenson


8



Surround yourself with people and ideas that inspire you and captivate you. Life is too short for destructive relationships.


13, 18



Sign up for typing class. (Keyboarding)


13



Educate yourself. You can't solve a problem if you don't understand it.


14-21



“Be brave. Be resilient. Be kind. Be grateful.” -Hillary Rodham Clinton


12



Never give unsolicited advice. Instead ask “How can I best support you?”


14, 20



When the poop hits the fan, that's when real discipleship begins.


15-18



Give him a copy of The Secret Lives of Great Composers by Elizabeth Lunday.


14



Listen to the radio stations they listen to. Know their favorite songs and artists.


12



Wipe your kids’ tears when they’re sad. Smile with them when they are happy. Hold them close when they are scared. And let them see your tears, smiles, and fears too. This is how you teach them to be a human in this world.


6



Once a relationship goes from loving someone as they are to trying to change them into something you want them to be, it’s doomed. We can challenge, inspire and educate those we love, but in the end we have to accept them as they are and embrace them warts and all. (They’re doing the same for us.)


18