Three things you cannot change: The past, the truth, someone else.


18



Just focus on shining on your own terms. Your shine is not dependent on anyone or anything else.


15



My dad was a Marine. He enlisted at 18 with his buddies during he Korean War. He was never a "typical" Marine, always a gentle spirit and rarely spoke about his days in Korea. One carry-over was kind of a little inside joke he had with his buddies in the war: They used the expression "Semper Fi" sarcastically, in the opposite way it's meant. When they said it to each other it meant "I got mine, you're on your own. Fend for yourself." We always used to joke about it too when little things happened like there was no more milk for the cereal, "Semper Fi." Of course the irony is that my dad and his Marine buddies were the very definition of faithful when it came to the big stuff. They just liked to joke about the little stuff. Still use it jokingly that way to this day.


18



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


9



No one knows what they’re doing. Just be kind and brave and curious. You don’t have to have it figured out.


17



Micro-internships. Check out Parker Dewey for ideas.


16, 17, 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



Read (or listen to) A Fragile Stone together.


15



Read The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig.


4



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


8-14



Before a play date or sleepover ask the parent “Are there any unlocked guns in the house?”


6-9



Yoga for kids classes or YouTube


5-8



Talking to people you disagree with is sometimes difficult. But it doesn’t have to be. Enter every conversion assuming you have something to learn.


14, 18, 21



The version of you that will handle whatever problem comes your way will be born into existence in the moment when it happens. Trust your future self to handle future challenges.


12, 15, 21



Be protective, never be possessive. watch out for your friends’ well-being, their good names, that’s what friends do. But friends don’t try to manipulate someone’s feelings, thoughts or actions.Same goes for romantic relationships.


10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 21



Healing doesn’t mean becoming the best version of yourself. It’s learning to love even the worst parts about yourself.


17, 21



Invest in a laminator, a label maker and a glue gun. You’ll be glad you did!


5



Sometimes fear feels like a signal to get out of there, but being uncomfortable in a new situation is totally normal. Practice sitting in that discomfort and you’ll find it gets easier.


9, 12, 15, 17, 21



Writing is re-writing


15, 18



Monty Python movies.


12-15



Just fill ‘em with love. Every other parenting mistake or deficit can be fixed, but if a child grows up thinking it’s not loved and doesn’t have a place in this world, that is a recipe for permanent and painful damage. Not necessarily “spoil” them, but cut them slack as often as possible. Just love ‘em up.


Infant-21



Check out the Wolf Trap Children's summer theater.


4-11



Follow your dreams…not your boyfriend’s.


16



Look into summer jobs at national parks.


15, 17



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


10



Anyone who asks you to violate your values doesn’t deserve your allegiance.


16, 21



You’re someone’s cup of tea. I don’t mean there is only one person out there for you, I mean someone is waiting to love you exactly how you are. Stop wasting time with fools who want to change you to fit their ideal.


15, 19, 21



You don’t have to lower your standards, just lower your walls.


12, 15, 21



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


14, 20



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


16