Most of us have fought for our families in some way or another, but have you ever considered that there are over 20 million living American veterans who have literally fought for your family? The purpose of Veteran’s Day is to honor our veterans who have served and sacrificed for the common good of all Americans. There are many tangible ways we can acknowledge their sacrifice, but the easiest is to simply say,...

In November 2010, the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology revealed a study about peoples’ fear of change. Students were given a choice between a typical curriculum and a new curriculum. Though the new curriculum required much less work, the students chose the typical curriculum. The study revealed an important truth: we crave the known and fear the unknown. Why do we fear the unknown and resist change?...

So-called work-life balance is a myth. People search for it, but never find it.  So stop worrying about achieving that balance and start striving to be present. Think about these three Ps that will help you to be more focused on being present for your family.  First, prioritize. When you step back and look at how you spend your time, you’ll realize that some things like your favorite television show just aren’t as...

Part of being a great dad…an All Pro Dad, means using words that encourage your kids.  It means taking every opportunity you get to make your child feel special and loved by you.  So here are some things you should say to your kids every day.  First say, “I love you.”  Love is the foundation for building a strong relationship with your kids.  And since you can never say it too often, tell your kids you love...

Everyone needs affirmation, encouragement, and compliments…your children do too. And the best person to give them that boost they need is YOU: their parent. So to help get you started, here are some compliments your kids need to hear.  First, compliment their character.  When your child demonstrates honesty, integrity, or kindness, take them aside and offer a sincere compliment.  Second, compliment their...

In the wild, prodding a porcupine with a stick or by yelling doesn’t work very well…it just makes the porcupine more angry. You risk being on the receiving end of some sharp, painful quills. It’s the same way in our relationships. If you prod a porcupine spouse, teen, or in-law, with your words, things usually don’t go to well. Saying things like “What’s your problem?” just makes them even more mad.  There are...

As parents, we want to do everything we can do for our kids, but that’s not always best. It’s important to teach our kids to do things for themselves.  So here are some ways to teach your children self-discipline.  First, teach structured routine. Organized and consistent structure breeds discipline. For example, by setting a designated time for homework to be completed each day, the routine will become a natural...