From athletes on steroids to physically abusive rap stars, red-handed corporate executives to red-faced politicians, we have heard apologies galore lately. But does simply saying, "I'm sorry" to your child mean you've taken responsibility for your mistakes? No. Sometimes it just means you're sorry you got caught. There's more to saying sorry to your child than that. A true apology comes with acknowledging what...

When you look at a tombstone, you see a name, something nice about the person, the year they were born and the year they died…and a small dash in between. The dash…it's what we do between the time we're born and the time we die…that's what's most important. It's critical because the dash is your identity…it's who you are—husband, wife, mom, dad. The dash is your influence…it's how you touch the lives of others. ...

Consider what author Charles Swindoll says: "The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than the past, than education, than money, than what people say or do. The remarkable thing is that we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace. We cannot change our past… we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We...

Bethany Hamilton dreamed of being a professional surfer, but at 13, she lost her arm in a shark attack. You'd think that would be the end of her career plans, but that's not the case. The new movie, Soul Surfer, will show you three things that Bethany did to realize her dreams. You can do them, too. First, put the pain aside. Before you can do anything about your circumstances, you have to be able to move...

Divorce is never easy on anyone, but teens often channel their emotions into destructive behaviors. A recent survey from Pediatrics journal shows that teens of divorcing families are twice as likely to use drugs or alcohol. They are also more likely to act out through physical fighting, property damage, and stealing. Others may experience depression and anxiety. But the good news is that parental support can...

Websites like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and Classmates are in the business of connecting people. Long-lost friends and classmates can be easily found, and relationships restored. But there's a downside to social networking, too, especially when an old flame makes contact. In fact, marriages are breaking up over these "re-acquaintances." For some people, the temptation is just too much to handle. Your spouse...

Several years ago Money magazine performed a tax season experiment. Forty-five tax professionals participated in preparing the magazine's tax return. The result? Forty-five different bottom-lines. That's hard to believe. Now think about all the "professionals" out there who might give you many different bottom lines on how to be a better parent. But all should agree on these three things that your kids really...