Check your ego. Often.


17, 21



“God is gentle and loving. He desires you to have a deep sense of safety in His love.” - paraphrasing Henri Nouwen


16



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


13, 15



“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



Your mother and I would never want you to sacrifice the wellbeing of your own family for us. They should always be your priority. In the years ahead, make the choices that affirm that.


21



Gambling is designed to be seductive- Everything about casinos and online gambling sites is about getting you to hand over your cash. It’s a scam. Don’t fall for it!


15, 18



Marry for character, not just chemistry.


17, 21



“Never let anyone tell you who you are. SHOW them who you are.” - Kamala Harris


12, 13, 17, 21



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


13, 14, 16. 19, 21



No bragging. Don’t toot your own horn.


11, 15, 21



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


15



Watch Abby Wambach's 2018 Barnard commencement address together.


16



Psalm 37:3 “Do good and trust in the Lord.” That pretty much covers it.


9, 15, 21



Read Harry Potter series to him / with him.


9-10



Remember the hymn we used to sing at bedtime when you were little? “What Does the Lord Require of You?” To seek justice. To love kindness. To walk humbly with your God. (Walk humbly means to remember God is so very good. That he loves you and is for you and wants you to talk to him, listen for him, love him, serve him.) No matter what religion you practice (or don’t practice) I hope you’ll remember that.


17



There IS such a thing as coming on too strong. Err on the side of leaving them wanting more.


15, 18, 21



It’s very difficult to pull off sarcasm in written form. It does not translate.


15



Teen years are a whole other ballgame. Find a community and stay up with trends and news. Check out the website Raising Teens Today.


12



Failed? Lift yourself up, or live there. You know the work you need to do, be it physical, mental, emotional or spiritual, etc. So do it. Do the work. The only bitterness in failure comes from not having the guts to get back up again.


12, 16, 18, 20, 21



Concussion testing - baseline


15



Knowing something is right and application of it are two different things. To apply yourself takes discipline. Practice it.


15



The more you move, the happier you are.


10, 11, 13, 15, 18, 21



“If you want to be holy, be kind”. -Frederick Buechner


14, 19, 21



Check out School of Rock (Vienna) or Bach to Rock.


9



Beware that when you’re first exposed to a new thing: a car, a college tour, house, etc. you will feel AMAZING and totally seduced by the shiny newness. Be cool. Remember that glitters is not gold. Things don’t need to be perfect and even if the house is it doesn’t mean life will be.


15, 18, 21



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


5



Spend time with people you admire, in person and biographies, documentaries, novels and movies.


14-17, 21



Sometimes it feels really good to say “no.” (Or “no thank you.” Or “$@!#% no!”)


14, 20



You may lose a relationship but you keep the love. It becomes a part of you. It changes you for the better.


15, 19, 21



In social situations it's better to talk too little than too much. Don't over-share with people you're not close to.


15



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