A new study by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services indicates families who eat dinner together are healthier, smarter, safer and stronger. Home-cooked meals generally provide more balanced nutrition and fewer empty calories. Having dinner with your kids also provides the opportunity for meaningful conversation, bonding and face time. As a result, families who eat together have children who do better in...

Many of us expect our spouse to "just know" what we're thinking or feeling. After years with each other, we begin to expect our spouse to know we've had a bad day, that we're tired, or that we want affection. They "should just know," right? Well, that's not realistic! Years of experience make it easier to predict your spouse's response, but it's no substitute for communication. If you want your spouse to know what...

A French artillery officer invented "night writing" —it was a form of reading by touching raised dots on a page so soldiers could understand written orders without lighting a lantern and risk getting shot. A 13-year-old blind teenager heard about it and pleaded with the officer to make this concept available to the blind. The officer refused, but the teen persevered and simplified the process himself. You may have...

There is an artist who takes broken pieces of china and glues them together in various forms to make incredible art. All of us have broken pieces in our lives and sometimes we can't see how the broken pieces will be used to make something beautiful. Sometimes we feel like our efforts to repair and rebuild are futile. Some of our lives even seem to be shattered beyond repair. But, those seemingly worthless pieces...

In the movie City Slickers, Billy Crystal asks, "Did you ever reach a point in your life when you say to yourself: 'This is the best I'm ever going to look, this is the best I'm ever going to feel, the best I'm ever going to do, and it ain't that great'?" What we do with that feeling of emptiness will speak volumes about our character. Well, will we get depressed or throw a pity party? Or will we use the...

Developing a relationship with your stepchildren isn't easy, but here are some steps you can take to help the process. First, watch out for unrealistic expectations. Don't expect the children to love you immediately…develop a relationship first. Second, encourage openness in your family…make sure the children know they can talk to you about their concerns. Third, be supportive but don't try to replace their...

Then you'll want to go to an awesome new movie called Courageous. It premieres September 30th. The movie follows four men with one calling: To serve and protect. They are confident and focused on the job, but at the end of the day, the four men face a challenge that none of them are truly prepared to tackle, fatherhood. Protecting the streets is second nature to these guys. Raising their children the right way...