Last week, my daughter Lucy ran a pancake stand to raise money for Kindermusik. (Full recap here.) Although it caught one couple expecting to score some lemonade a bit off guard, everyone hailed it as a great idea and wonderful success. And it was, for many reasons, not the least of which were all the lessons Lucy learned in the process. But another unexpected benefit was the opportunity to get to know many of our neighbors better, as well as meeting some for the first time. Although I am always wary of waxing on about how much better the olden days were (I’m not that old yet!), it sure …
Family
How to Deal with Difficult, Adultitis-Ridden People
Since 94% of the population suffers from at least a mild form of Adultitis, odds are that anyone with a job has to work with someone infected with this vile disease. Maybe it’s a co-worker, or a client, or – gulp! – the boss. Sometimes the people I chat with after my speaking programs will confess to being married to someone with a full-blown case of Adultitis. So the question, of course, is how do I fix someone who has it? Unfortunately, the truth is...you don’t. I am a professional speaker. Most speakers I know started their careers with the hope of making a difference and changing …
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What I Learned From Driving 2,300 Miles with My Kids
I was sitting on the beach reading, and I looked up from my book to a most wonderful sight. It was of my daughter Lucy, clutching a boogie board, being escorted to the shore by a strong wave of saltwater. The entire ride lasted barely five yards, but the transformation in her was light years from a few hours earlier. The initial introduction to this unfamiliar ocean vessel was marked with trepidation and more than a few tears. Her triumphant, tooth-deprived grin was one of my favorite moments from our recent 11-day, 7-state, 2,300 mile road trip with three kids under seven. (The second …
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The Complete Guide to Raising Your Kids to Be Rulebreakers without Ruining Their Lives (or Yours)
Kim and I are well-known for encouraging people to be more childlike and act more like kids. A few brave souls have asked (although I suspect there are countless others who have wondered): How does this philosophy impact our role as parents? In other words, how does a parent walk the line between teaching kids to break rules that don’t exist, without descending into total anarchy? Great question. While it’s true that our kids regularly say “#Notarule” in its proper context during normal conversations, any speculation that our kids are living in Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory is …
The What the Hell Approach to Living a Great Story
The #Notarule Tour is well underway. We have already visited a bookstore, a zoo, an old bank, and the home of some Escape Adulthood Summit alumni. But now the certifiably insane part is upon us. We are embarking on a 10-day road trip in a Ford Edge with three kids under seven. And then we’re doing it again a month later. Most parents might think we're batsh#t crazy. Sometimes I do, too. Because it is a little bit crazy. And it might not work. But that’s exactly why it’s worth doing. I loved the message I once saw printed on a sign at a store that said, “Ever notice that what …
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Contrary to Popular Belief, You Are Not an Octopus
Today I’d like to talk about octopuses. Because it’s what we think we’re like when we multitask. Yep, we imagine we’re like an octopus, one that’s holding a crayon with each arm, coloring eight different things simultaneously. Like a boss. If only that were true. If we are an octopus, we're an octopus with only one arm, who colors one square inch of something, drops the crayon, picks up another, colors another square inch, drops that crayon, and on and on. Research tells us that the human brain can only concentrate on one thing at a time. What we’re doing when we THINK we’re …
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It’s Fun Breaking a Rule Every Now and Again
It sat there taunting me for over a month. It was a copy of Jack Staples and The Ring of Time, sent to me to review. I don’t normally review things, but I said yes, mostly because I am a fan of the authors. I read Circle Maker by Mark Batterson and Awake by Joel N. Clark and enjoyed them very much. However, both of those books are non-fiction, which is what I normally read. But fiction? Not so much, unless you count Dragons Love Tacos or The Day The Crayons Quit. It’s been a long time since I’ve read any fiction with infinitely more words than pictures. I blame my three kids. But I …
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4 Fun Ways to Fight Adultitis and Make Memories this Christmas
This time of year is tailor-made for creating some amazing scenes with loved ones. Unfortunately, it’s also the most common time to let busyness drive us into “doing-what-we’ve-always-done” mode. Hello, Rutville. Here are four fun but simple tips to make sure Adultitis gets nothing but coal in its stocking this year. Minivan Express It’s kind of like Pajama Run meets The Polar Express, and you don’t even need a minivan to play. First, print up some golden tickets (templates here) and hide them under your kids’ pillows. While the normal bedtime routine is underway, prep some popcorn …
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The Perfect Gift is Not For Sale
What do you get for the person that has everything? What's an equally great gift for the person who has next to nothing? Easy. How about the gift of time? One Christmas, an acquaintance of ours gave her children a piece of paper emblazoned with the words, "The Gift of Time." Each kid got to pick an activity to do with just Mom and Dad. For example, one of the girls elected to go to a theatrical production of RENT. I guarantee those memories made will last longer than some gadget that could have been gifted instead, destined to be sold at a garage sale sometime down the line. Every …
Traveling with Kids is a Drag (and Other Thoughts from My First Daddy Daughter Business Trip)
The white dog bounded down the skinny green runway, chasing a stuffed animal attached to a steel cable. In just ten seconds, the race was over, and Yeti had her prize. Meanwhile, her best friend was looking on. After the steel cable was reset, this time with a small stuffed zebra, a trainer readied herself in front of the big box where Shiley stood poised. The trainer raised her hand while unlatching the door on the cage, and then dropped her arm to indicate it was time for the wench operator at the other end of the track to get that zebra moving. The door flung open, and a flash of fur and …