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...
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It's not some high-tech gadget you can pick up at a store… it's a sense of belonging. So how can you instill that in your kids? At home, let your kids know they're important to you, and to your family. Affirm their positive character traits, encourage their unique gifts, and let them know their thoughts and opinions matter. Then, when you're out in public, praise them to others – and proudly claim them: "This is...
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Last night, as I stood at the kitchen sink, my son tried to push me aside, without saying a word. Well, rather than just correct him, my wife and I decided to employ a little role-play. As I stood at the sink again, she played the role of my son and said, "Dad, will you please excuse me? I'd like to wash my hands." I said, "Sure, come on in." and then moved out of the way. You see, telling our kids how to do...
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One mom I know asked her four-year-old to tell her his favorite things about their recent trip. She wrote down his answers and put them in their vacation scrapbook. A dad uses his smartphone to make short videos of his kids that he uploads to YouTube for friends and family to view. Another parent uses a digital camera to catch candid moments throughout the summer, then they take the pictures and make a slide show...
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Do you remember your first date with your wife? What about the first time your husband kissed you? Thinking back to those early days of dating is a great way to rekindle the passion in your relationship. If it's possible, re-create your first date or re-enact your marriage proposal. Spend time just sitting on the couch together talking about what you thought the first time you met . . . or when you realized you...
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I'm not talking about the turkey and dressing sitting in your fridge—left over from Thanksgiving. I'm talking about your time. You do the math. Right now, think about all of the things that go into your day . . . rushing to get ready in the morning, going to work, cleaning the house, cooking dinner, chores in the evening, watching TV. Now, add up how much time you really spend interacting with your kids. What's...
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Let's face it—we live in a world of instant gratification. We want it all, and we want it now. We're a nation of express lanes, fast food, texts and tweets. But it's a problem when we impose those same expectations on people. We want instant acceptance from our peers, instant response from our colleagues, instant help from our spouse—regardless of the circumstances. And when we don't get the immediate response we...
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