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


13, 18



Sometimes I think the best way to take care of them is to teach them to take care of others: Littler kids, sick or disabled, those who’ve been left out.


5-7, 1Infant-12



There is so much available to you. This is good and bad. I hope you choose knowledge, beauty, laughter, etc. Guard against getting caught in a loop of destructive $@!#%: hate, drugs, gambling, porn, etc. The world is full of beauty and it’s full of gross sh*t. I hope you choose a life that seeks out beauty.


16



Listen to Celebrate Calm podcasts for help dealing with defiance.


4, 9, 15



A man is not a financial plan.


17



You’re not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. What’s something worth being hated for?


11, 14, 17, 21



Name five women who contributed to our country’s history.


8, 13, 16



Control isn’t safety. Safety is putting in the physical/mental/intellectual/emotional/spiritual work so you’re confident in your ability to address whatever comes your way and thrive, bounce back after getting knocked down.


14, 21



When you feel like giving up, rest. But then keep going! So many good things ahead. So many people that are meant to be in your life who you haven’t met yet.


18



“Don’t chase your dreams


14, 17, 20, 21



An album is like a book, meant to be taken as a whole. It tells a story, has its own vibe. Let’s listen to an album together every week.


12



People may have all kinds of different motives for doing what they do, saying what they say. To “give someone the benefit of the doubt” means that you consider what the best possible reason they may have for doing what they did and assume that was the motive. If someone has earned your trust, even if it’s that they’ve done nothing to break your trust, give them the benefit of the doubt.


11-15



Never tolerate abuse. But definitely learn how to throw annoying habits and stupid drama in the bucket of the 10% of things you don’t like about being in the relationship. Even the most beautiful stallions poo, everything produces waste. Clean the waste, deal with it as a constant byproduct of life. don’t $@!#% the horse so you don’t have to deal with poo.


17, 21



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


15



Watch the western “1883”.


13



Teach them about the law and how it applies to them: Here's what happens if you hurt someone, steal, drive drunk, use or sell drugs, sexting, etc.


12



Practice road-rage roll playing. People are NUTS! It's hard to imagine how you'll react when someone gets aggressive with you. Let's practice staying calm when someone is shouting and in your face.


15-17



Check out the website Brightly for timely and age-appropriate book recommendations. All sorts of subjects and themes.


5-12



“You don’t get what you deserve. You get what you negotiate.” - name escapes me


15, 19, 21



“For better or worse means no matter what life throws at us, not no matter what you do to me.” - Brenda Linn


19, 21



“Tell me something you want to be when you grow up.”


5, 8



You’re gonna be misunderstood a lot. Some people just won’t like you. It’s okay. Wish them well and let it go.


10, 13, 16, 21



Sad but important fact: You’ll never be enough for some people. Never. -Chasten Buttigieg


18



Watch the documentary Kelce (2023)


12



Theme this year: Self Control (Repeat every year until age 99)


6



Read J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit together


11



Go as a family to local high school musical productions.


7-18



If you sleep with a girl, always call or text the next day. Don't be a d-bag.


18



Curiosity is life-giving while judgement is soul-sucking. Get curious about yourself and others. Wonder why, try to understand without judging.


12, 16, 20



No matter how smart you are or how much you know, you still don’t know everything. ALWAYS be willing to learn and to change your position when faced with new information or perspective.


15, 20