500 Fridays Newsletter - 2.5 min read Season: The Full Fall (7 of 12) After School Eye Roll “So, How Was School Today?” You've likely asked your son or daughter that question at least once this week. You may have asked it a lot more. My guess is you got the same response as I always do. In fact, 90% of the time you get a giant eye roll, right? 🙄 Somehow, this has become the default parent question when kids first hop in the car. You haven't seen them in 7 hours and you're dying to know...
10 days ago • 2 min read
500 Fridays Newsletter - 2 min read Season: The Full Fall (6 of 12) Normal My father was a Pediatrician for 38 years. I did the math and by himself, he had over 350,000 sick and well-child appointments in his clinic over the years. Not to mention his other partners, who combined, have seen everything you could imagine. Growing up as the son of a Pediatrician had its big perks (and some decent downsides too). By far the greatest benefit though is having a dad who could help take care of his...
17 days ago • 2 min read
500 Fridays Newsletter - 3 min read Season: The Full Fall (5 of 12) No More Scale How often do you feel guilt as a parent? Somedays I wonder if parents in the 1950s felt guilt in a similar way as parents today or if it's a more modern feeling. They probably did, but still, I wonder. More than any other stage, when you're in the power-decade of parenting, the impulse to compare is unstoppable. For instance ... Do you look at your screen time and compare it to the amount of time you spend...
24 days ago • 3 min read
500 Fridays Newsletter - 3 min read Season: The Full Fall (4 of 12) A Proven Recipe There is nothing families love more than a proven recipe. A dish that has stood the test of time, fed hundreds if not thousands of people, and passes down because it's that good. Do you have recipes like that? Something I learned early on, during the newborn stage when people kept bringing food to our house, was that I needed to collect these recipes. When I would follow up with a thank you text for the food...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
500 Fridays Newsletter - 3 min read Season: The Full Fall (3 of 12) Delayed Gratification A lot has changed for families since my wife and I became parents 20 years ago. The biggest and most noticeable difference I see today is the speed to appease that is possible in our society. Think about how quickly someone in your family can think of something they want and then have it almost immediately. Disney+ ... Watch Bluey in less that 10 seconds. Amazon Prime ... Checkout and it arrives in 2...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
500 Fridays Newsletter - 2.5 min read Season: The Full Fall (2 of 12) Your Highest Leverage If you had 45 minutes to sit across the lunch table with anyone today, who would you choose? A lunch date with your spouse?A quick catch-up with a best friend?A week recap with your business partner?A mentor that you haven't talked with in a while? I have found there is something special about Friday lunch plans. It's the hinge between your weekly rhythm and weekend plans. There is a different spirit...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
500 Fridays Newsletter - 3.5 min read Season: The Full Fall (1 of 12) 5 Big Mistakes We Made Power-decade parents are very much slaves to the intense present of their current lives. On occasion, they pause and dream about their family's future too. It was no different for me and my wife when we were in your stage of parenting. What you never have moments for when raising young kids is time to reflect. That doesn't arrive until your kids get their own car keys and you have more margin. I often...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
500 Fridays Newsletter - 4 min read Season: The Long Summers (11 of 11) The Building of Character My girls loved to play dress up when they were little. In our home, we have a wild room we call the "skit closet" and inside we keep a staggering amount of old play clothes. We have costumes from when my mom was a young girl, dance outfits from my sister's era, and of course plenty of Disney dresses from when my girls were younger. We have 3 generations of dress-up clothes in our closet and every...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
500 Fridays Newsletter - 2.5 min read Season: The Long Summers (9 of 11) Farming Facts I come from a farming family. My great-grandfather purchased our family farm and his son, my grandfather, expanded it even more. I think it's the farming legacy of my family that instilled in me the value of long-term investments. There is an old wise farm saying that has resonated with me for years... The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time to plant a tree is today. Said...
2 months ago • 2 min read