The cleaning product, Formula 409 didn't get its name from the area code where it was developed. And it's not the birth date of the creator's daughter. Formula 409 got its name from perseverance. The two persistent scientists didn't get the formula right on the 101st, or even the 401st try. Only when they created the 409th formula were they satisfied that they'd created the ultimate cleaner. Perseverance pays off...

Some people wouldn't say much, but some would say degrading things about their spouse. Sure, affairs do happen when things are going well in a marriage. But sometimes, there have been years of neglect and loneliness…years of two people failing to give and love. As my wife and I often say to each other, there are always two sides to every story. And just as it may take two to pull the relationship apart, it takes...

I was playing the simulated military game, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 with my teenage son…and I'm really bad at it. The mission is to kill the bad guys or be killed. In real life, what do you do when someone takes aim at you and starts to fire? Fire back, right? Well, that's our instinct, but our call of duty is to receive the "friendly fire," and not pull the verbal trigger…even though everything in us...

The teachers I know tell me it's being an involved parent. Teachers invest a lot of their life into your child. They spend countless hours preparing lessons, grading papers and pouring knowledge into the minds of the children in their care. In most cases, the only time they hear from a parent is when something goes wrong. So if you really want to show your appreciation, be a present parent. Get involved in...

Our kids are constantly evaluated on their abilities at school, in sports, in the arts and even at home. But what about you? What grade would your kids give you as a parent? Well, here's a way to make an A every time. Remember the 6 A's of parenting. First is Affirmation. When your children are sharing their feelings or opinions, they want you to listen to them, identify with them and affirm them. Second is...

I'm not talking about last night's dinner. I mean what we end up giving our spouse at the end of the day. We give leftover time—after too many hours at work. We give leftover affection—after loving on the kids all day. Those leftovers don't satisfy, they leave us craving more. What our spouse wants—and deserves—is our freshest and best. There are 4 ways to serve your spouse something fresh. First, post-it. Put a...

Give your kids a quiz. Make it fun and award a prize to the one who gets the most answers right. You can use questions like: "Where was the Declaration of Independence signed? Who sewed the first American flag? And, who was the king of England during the Revolutionary War?" Do you know the answers? Well, to get them, and to find more questions for your own 4th of July quiz, go here. It's a great way to teach your...