How many times have you said, “They won’t like it”, “They don’t enjoy that” or any of the ways we dismiss things our kids have never experienced or experienced in a limited way. This could be food, bounce houses, or catching fish with a net. Now don’t get me wrong you might be right. But maybe they tried it last year or last month and they are a different kid now. We need to be the ones to try things and encourage them to try things too and not just once. Maybe if they see broccoli 100 times it will become like an old friend. Can we like or enjoy anything we do once? It can be fun to try something new together, a hot pickle, a strange fruit, you make the rules dad. Kids will say “I don’t like it” or “I’m no good at it” but remember to add the most important word, YET! Also don’t take rejection as a loss, take it as feedback on what to try next.

Remember we have to find ways to make this fun for everyone, even us. What is something you can try again this week?

Whether school has started or not using this time of year as a reset for new expectations, systems, or ways of being at home are a great option. Have a family meeting to talk about the year ahead and ask your kids to share what they are excited about and what they hope to learn. Then share what you would like to see in the house, with their stuff, or a new rule on TV you have wanted to implement. Lead the way here dad, they need you and this is great reset after a crazy summer of too much pizza and late bedtimes.

Cook This: Overnight Oats

These recipes are everywhere and have dessert type names like cookie dough and chocolate bombs. You can really make them however you like and they are in the fridge for a before school balanced breakfast. Try a few a of these below and remember to make one for yourself!

Read This: The 4 Hour Chef - If you are a fan of @TimFerris he wrote the 4 Hour Work Week and does a great job of breaking down skills in a way that everyone can access.

Recipe here: 5-star Overnigtht Oat Recipes

What you track you change, what you measure matters and so on. The point is for us to make happen what we want to make happen this week we need a check list, a recipe that is both realistic and intentional. Try a couple of things. On Sunday make a list of the workouts, the meals, the number of steps, really anything (but not too much) that you want to do this week. Now break it up into days in a way that makes the dose doable. I also like the idea of chunking times, like 30 minute blocks to do things. For example: 30 minutes of walking, 30 minutes of non-fiction reading, 30 minutes of napping. Whatever it is use a timer and do at least that much and then move onto the next block of time. So for this week, write down how you are going to win the week but not just in your to-do list fashion. Write it in a way that you can do and then build on it if it goes well. This is your week Dad!

Recently I had the good luck to spend whole day with my two year old daughter. I have been feeling recently that a lot of the time I have with my kids is low quality. I’m working or I’m trying to get something done for the house and I am missing them completely. No matter how many kids you have they all need attention from you. It is up to us find a way to give it to them. A day is ideal, take off their birthday every year and go nuts. But also take an hour, a half a day and go fishing, play catch, or wander a book store. This is not something that can wait either, they need you now. Make it happen dad!

This newsletter is not professional in nature but intended to be real things to try. They won’t all work but this is a process and I’d love for you to join me on the way. Thanks for reading and we hope to see you next week.

Send me a note or your best dad joke @ [email protected]