Today is the first day of summer, and it marks a wonderful time of the year for your child.  Years from now they will look back on the long days of this season to reminisce and remember.  How can you make this a summer they’ll never forget?  Your first step should be to take a stroll down your own summertime memory lane.  Try the things you did as a child that still make you smile today.  A day of swimming.  An...

In the NFL, any good coach will tell you it’s not the spectacular highlight-reel type things that make you a Super Bowl winner. It’s knowing and executing the fundamentals day in and day out. That’s how you win. That’s how you become great. In my new men’s study, All Pro Dad, you’ll learn that just as knowing and executing the fundamentals of football are the key to a player becoming a champion, knowing and...

For the last few Mondays I’ve talked about lies that can hurt your child.  The 4th lie parents tell their children is, “Everyone’s a winner.”  As much as society may try to tell our children otherwise, the truth is that everybody is not a winner.  Sure, everyone likes to win the game or get a trophy, but your kids need to know playing has value even when you don’t win.  Defeat can motivate you to do better the...

 Author Leo Buscaglia once wrote about a four-year-old boy whose next-door neighbor was an elderly man who had recently lost his wife. One day, the little boy saw the man crying. So, he walked into the old gentleman’s yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When he came home, his mother asked him what he said to the man. The little boy said, “Nothing, I just helped him cry.” There are four things we need...

Will they cherish the trip to the theme park, the Xbox360, PS3, or the cell phone you bought them?  Or will they remember dad cooking pancakes for them, wrestling with them on the floor... and mom writing those special notes for their lunchboxes, or cheering for them at their games?  Our children won’t reminisce about big events and big-ticket items. Rather, their hearts will be warmed by memories of the love,...

The last two Monday’s I’ve talked about lies that can hurt your child.  The 3rd lie parents tell their children is, “You can have it now.”  The four-letter word no child wants to hear is, “Wait.”  Let’s face it, neither do we.  We live in a society of instant gratification…fast food, instant downloads, immediate access.  Instant is good, right?  Well, it’s convenient, but there is value in waiting too.  But we...

Do you acknowledge the times your teen takes out the trash or helps a sibling with homework? Or do you just let his efforts go unnoticed? Don't miss those chances to let your teen know he’s appreciated. Your gratitude will not only give him a sense of significance, but will also help reinforce good behavior.  When you see your teen doing something right—whether it’s doing a chore with a good attitude or not...