“Tell me the story of your day.” (Works better than “how was your day?”


5, 6, 10



Make “good trouble” as Rep. John Lewis said. Justice is won, not given.


14, 19



Summers in Ireland and UK Drama camps? I could work from there while he did his thing.


12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17



Stop before you descend too far into the pain. Let yourself be loved. Rest. Eat. Shower. Breath. Sweat. Sing.


10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 19, 21



When he comes to you and tells you he’s in trouble, stay calm. Ask “How can I help you?” Figure it out together. No matter how old he is, he needs to know you’re on his side. There will be time for lessons and consequences, etc. But first, help.


7, 12, 15, 21



Save where you can. Spend when you have to. Splurge every once in a while.


15, 21



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


12, 17



Ditch the serving bowls, plates, tablecloth and utensils. Cover middle of table in tinfoil for the food. Give each kid a tinfoil placemat in lieu of a plate. Let them eat with their fingers. (Works great with spaghetti, chicken, ribs, shrimp, etc. Try it with ice-cream and cake for a birthday party!


3-6



Ask them to name 2 current or historical figures that they admire and why (one man one woman).


6-18



Let's all go on a "complaining diet." See how long we can go without a complaint for a weekend. Repeat often.


9-15



What do you think about the word “refugee?” Let’s talk about what it means. Personally, I don’t understand all the complexities of immigration policy, but I figure anyone who escapes violence and walks hundreds of miles with kids in tow, trying to get to safety and gain an opportunity for a better life for their family can live next-door to me anytime.


13



Don’t use a bad word when you can use a good word.


10



Sometimes there’s nothing else to do with the pain except to use it to build a new life.


13. 17, 19, 21



Make a separate piggie bank together for money to donate. Talk about how we manage what we have thoughtfully: Save some, spend some, donate some.


5-8



Read books. Any kind. All kinds. It’s exercise for the brain and it feeds the soul. Start slow, that’s ok. As with many things, consistency beats speed.


6, 10, 13, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21



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


5-18



Self-care is active not passive. (Zoning-out on the couch or sleeping all day isn’t self-care.)


13, 15



You’re gonna want to quit, many times. Whether it’s a job, a marriage, a degree, a cause… whatever. I have no way of knowing whether or not you should quit, just know that feeling like you want to quit is normal when you hit a setback or disappointment, or rejection or betrayal. It doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to feel that way forever. Sometimes it’s best to cut your losses, sometimes it’s better to stick it out. Treat yourself with patience and compassion while you consider what’s best.


14, 17, 21



The things we invite to protect us take their job seriously. They will not abandon the watch without a fight to the death. So be careful, very careful about what u invite as armor. Please don’t place your trust in drugs, alcohol, food, gambling, working, disconnecting, etc. Put your trust in that which is creative, honest, loving, beautiful, interesting, inspiring, challenging or peaceful. These things make much better bodyguards, and they will never turn on you.


13, 16, 20



Give baby a banana before bed and they’ll sleep through the night. (Obviously once they’re on solid food.)


1



Watch documentary The Rescue together.


15



Parent the way you want your children to behave. Compassion, patience. Loving.


1, 2, 3, 4



"Tough times don't last. Tough people do."


11-14



1

Don’t feed the thing you’re fighting.


13, 17, 21



Sponsor a child in a developing country. Write letters, learn about their country and their life.


8



Throw leftovers and some cut up veggies in an omelette/ frittata. Cuts down on food waste and saves money.


17



Buy life insurance when you're young.


21



Don’t worry if they’re not listening to what you say...They watch what you do. They study it.


13



When you’re tired, the next best thing to sleep is a shower.


16



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