Everyone has been or will be wronged. They will be slightly offended or grievously injured and with every degree and variation in between. And the worst of the injuries will be from intimates. It is part of the human condition - set up that way where imperfect people with imperfect information with limited time, limited resources, and limited maturity act out, make choices, and cause harm. Some do it deliberately, but mostly they do it [...]

Parenting is a year-round process, yet summer brings a unique opportunity to amplify our parenting efforts. The relaxed pace of the season, with its sunshine and family activities, provides an ideal backdrop for “supercharging” our parenting initiatives while enjoying the fun of the season together. We’ve always been proponents of goal setting and planning, as evidenced in our Tuesday Letters. That’s why we’ve crafted a Summertime Checklist—a guide to help you prepare or revisit parenting strategies [...]

Guidelines from the American Psychological Association states, “traditional masculinity – marked by stoicism, competitiveness, dominance and aggression – is, on the whole, harmful”. Essentially a ‘boys will be boys’ mentality is toxic. Creating a world where bullying and sexual predation is unacceptable is worthy of everyone’s time and attention. Certainly, parents must sort through the implications of how to raise up boys into the next generation of men. So, what are we to think? Are [...]

May is a significant month for graduations at all educational levels, from preschool and kindergarten to elementary school, middle school, high school, and college. It marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of another in life. This time can be filled with excitement, emotion, joy, and even a bit of anxiety for both the graduates and their parents. With our boys having graduated from college, we are reminded of what a meaningful milestone [...]

Among all the essential lessons we teach our kids about greeting people—such as making eye contact, using an appropriate tone of voice, shaking hands correctly, and communicating with teachers, family members, and friends—we must not forget to teach them to smile. Too often, we encounter customer service representatives, store clerks, waitstaff, and others who fail to smile while interacting with us; sometimes, they barely make eye contact. This raises the question: why has this automatic [...]

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. – Reinhold Niebuhr These are complex and troubled times. Some families have been hit hard, some less so, and some even harder. If we look at economics alone, money is like oxygen, how do people react when deprived of it for any length of time? It’s completely understandable [...]

What if you discovered that the key predictor of your children’s success later in life comes down to one specific skill? This skill, if developed well, could lead to improved social abilities, better stress management, and greater academic achievement. Additionally, this skill has the potential to reduce substance abuse, lower obesity levels, and enhance success across all areas of life. Training and reinforcing the skill of delaying gratification leads to the development of self-control and [...]

Happiness is a lifted spirit, an optimism in outlook. To live a life where happiness is a regular companion is to be faithful and persistent, willing to persevere through life’s challenges. A lifted Spirit develops emotional reserves to maintain goodwill for family and friends where you can respond and not react. A lifted spirit is a skill that can be taught and should be a family character trait, not so much where you absolutely must [...]