Sometimes procrastination is part of the process. Eventually though, doing the thing is easier than stressing over it or hiding from it.


10. 12, 15, 21



Dress for energetic alignment. Screw what other people think. Your ability to live a creative, wholehearted life is inversely proportional to how much you care what people think of you. (Care what YOU think of yourself. Express yourself however you can as long as you’re not causing harm or breaking the law. Have fun. Be gentle to yourself.


13, 15, 17, 19, 21



Check out Travel for Teens for summer travel programs. Let them choose from themes like service, adventure, animal rescue, etc.


14



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


5, 6, 10



It’s okay to not understand things. Just be sure the only place your ignorance leads you is to education.


15, 19



It’s okay to feel jealous. Totally normal, totally human. Just never act on jealousy.


12, 14, 16, 19, 21



Be willing to say “I don’t know” if you don’t know! Don’t just make stuff up.


15, 20



Whether it’s a kid at school or a politician on tv, beware of someone who tries to blame the world’s problems on a minority or some other group of people who are different. It’s a cheap tactic to get people riled up and afraid.


13



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


6-9



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



Life is hard. But it's not so hard you can't figure it out. You're going to be fine. xoxo


11-21



Have somebody take him skiing. I never learned to ski but I hope he learns to ski or snowboard.


6-11



Toddler years: Tater tots make everything better. The smaller ones cook faster and you don't have to turn them.


2



“Be brave. Be resilient. Be kind. Be grateful.” -Hillary Rodham Clinton


12



Sex is something you do *with* someone, not *to* them. It should never be about scoring or bragging. It doesn’t make you a man. A man is someone who respects himself and others


13-17



Resist the urge to give unsolicited advice. Wait…this entire thing is unsolicited advice!


15



Start a tradition of setting goals for Ne Year. Keep a notebook in with the Christmas ornaments and each year we all add in whatever we want to focus on: such as our resolutions, goals, hope or plans, etc. That will be something fun to do at the end of the year when we’re taking down the tree and putting away all the holiday stuff.


8



You are 100% replaceable at work. You are not replaceable at home. A good work ethic is crucial but don’t drain yourself to the point that you don’t have anything left for your family and friends.


21



It’s very easy to wander into trouble- not usually easy to wander out of it.


12



The better you eat, the better you feel. (And look.) if you eat like sh*t you’re going to feel like sh*t. Eat your vegetables! xoxo


17, 21



Dream big. Work hard.


18



People will speak or act in all kinds of unpleasant ways. Stay calm and kind.


14-21



“Anger is a wonderful catalyst but a terrible companion.” - Brene Brown


15, 21



“There is no such thing as a “bad kid” - just angry, hurt, tired, scared, confused, impulsive ones expressing their feelings


7, 12



We all want to be liked. But consider what you’re willing to *not* be liked for: If things like kindness and loyalty and being genuinely yourself *cost* you friends, is that a bad thing? Were they really friends then? Try not to do or say anything simply out of a desire to be liked.


11, 13, 16, 21



Go as a family to local high school musical productions.


7-18



Plan a trip to Disney this year.


6



Watch the news together. Local and national. Today Show has both of mornings are easier than evenings.


12, 13, 14, 15



If you’re going to be wrong about someone, let it be because you believed the best of them. (Give people the benefit of the doubt.) put it this way— I’d rather be wrong about my husband being a moral person who would never cheat, then come to find out he had done, than I would like to be wrong about him being a horrible person only to find out later he was faithful all along.


20, 21