Thoughts about "stuff"

If you want a good haircut don't go to someone whose hair looks bad.
If you want financial advice don't ask a poor person.
If you want parenting advice ask someone whose kids are successful (not necessarily rich, just good kids that don't get into trouble and know how to enjoy life)
If you want couples advice don't ask a divorced person.
If you want school advice don't ask and uneducated person.
If you want advice on how to live a happy life don't ask a sad person.

Lot's of don't s, I know, but it seems like so many people get caught up in the here-and-now they fail to see the larger picture. As I always tell Jessica and Andrew, when you want something, figure out what it takes to achieve it, and then work out a plan on how to get it. You can't get an A by not doing homework and studying. Kids won't be great kids if the parent does not have expectations, or if there are no limits set. It's okay to say no. It's okay to not buy them everything. A teacher asked us last month how we ended up with two great kids, and we said "family dinner". Invest in them with time, not stuff. Really, that's the most important thing we can give our children, the gift of ourselves.