Affection is to be shared, never taken.


14



You're about to come into a ton of energy and strength. It will seem like a lot to manage at first, but you'll get used to it and learn to use it constructively. Push your limits (within reason.) Challenge yourself.


13



Read blog post from Parent's Corner: The Letter Your Teenager Can't Write You By Gretchen Schmelzer June 23, 2015


13-17



Take heart. There are lots of terrible things in the world - Poverty, disease, injustice, natural disasters...Thankfully, good FAR outweighs the bad: Love, Faith, Art, friendship, healing, creativity, community, innovation, beauty and renewal to name just a few. Focus on the good. Relish in the countless expressions of goodness. Work hard to preserve, protect, and advance them.


18



Cut people some slack, everyone is entitled to a bad day.


17-20



Participate in an exchange program - either through hosting or traveling yourself & immerse yourself in the new culture


17



Re-Read "Girls and Sex: Navigating the New Landscape" by Peggy Orenstein.


13



Notre Dame Lullabies by the O’Neil Brothers is my favorite album ever. I used to play it at your bedtime when u were a baby and even sometimes when you were a kid. It reminds me of the happiest time of my life, when you came into it. Play it for me when I’m old and gray, okay?


21



When you feel like judging someone, try to resist the urge and get curious instead. There’s always a story.


16



Make sure they have resources other than us. Hotlines for teens such as Boys Town National Hotline, National $@!#% Prevention Lifeline, etc.


12



Not knowing what you’re doing is a lot less terrifying than not knowing who to trust.


14, 19, 21



Of all the things I worry about, addiction is very high on the list. Begin talks (age appropriate) about addiction.


7



“Don’t ever let anyone tell you what you see with your own eyes isn’t happening.” -English teacher Read Diary of Anne Frank together.


12



Don’t ask for anything until you’ve done what has been asked of you.


5



Just let a sweet moment be. There’s a time for jokes or small talk, but sometimes silence is best.


15,21



The opposite of addiction is connection. Genuine connection can take lots of forms.


14, 17, 19, 21



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


6



No matter how late you are, don’t speed or drive unsafely. It’s not worth someone’s life or limbs.


18-18, 21



“When you are not fed love off a silver spoon you will learn to lick it off of knives.” Lauren Eden (poet)


0, 20



Sometimes it’s easier to describe what a thing is *not* than to describe what it is.


14, 21



“It’s okay to be sad. It’s okay to grieve. Because you can also live your life, and love your life, and be happy too.” Excellent advice from 9/11 survivor.


12, 15, 19



Look into Rustic Pathways to see the world and do some good.


15



Never take friendships for granted. Show up. Reach out. Be there when they need you. Friends are gifts; tend to those relationships with love.


15, 20



“You can miss a person every day and still be glad that they’re no longer in your life.” — Oprah Winfrey


19



I’m cool with “C”s. Do good work but don’t put too much pressure yourself.


14



The $@!#% never ends. Dealing with the $@!#% IS your job. If you think you’ll ever reach a “post-$@!#%” stage in your life, you’re wrong.


14, 19



Someone else’s success doesn’t subtract from yours. Celebrating with them and encouraging them won’t make you the loser and them the winner. We’re all in this together.


12, 15



Ask”How can I be a better parent to you?” Listen.


1Infant-18



Read the instructions. Don't ask for help if you've been given instructions but haven't yet read them. RTFM. (Read the flippin' manual.)


14-21



Keep difficult conversations brief. Under ten minutes then table it so everyone can process.


13, 14, 16. 19, 21