Tuesday April 12, 2011
Quite a headline, isn't it? I hear from so many dads every month that have had a terrible experience with divorce and end up with really negative and hateful feelings toward their ex-spouse. Certainly no divorce is all one-sided, but so many folks who find themselves divorced and needing to co-parent can't seem to get past the negativity of the experience. It is traumatic for sure, and moving past it is difficult at best.
Rene Ashton recently wrote a book called How to Stop Hating Your Ex So You Can Co-Parent in Peace. Even though it is written from a woman's perspective, it is an incredibly helpful workbook for any spouse, dad or mom, who finds themselves divorced, co-parenting and without peace. I recommend it heartily to any dad (or mom for that matter) who finds themselves in this tough spot in life.
All too often our feelings for our ex-spouse will tend to poison relationships between the kids and us or the kids and her. Neither scenario is healthy, and the exercises and perspectives in this book will help us deal with and move past the feelings into a more healthy relationship.
Sunday April 10, 2011
We are approaching Earth Day (April 22) and it is time to be thinking about all things environmental. We have been gradually changing out may of our light bulbs to CFC's or LED's to try to get some energy savings and reduce our carbon footprint. If you are looking for ways to save energy in your home, check out this list of ideas. Whether it is electricity, water, or natural gas, these ideas will help you conserve more, spend less, and be respectful of our environment.
Friday April 8, 2011
I was traveling last week and took Jim Higley's new book Bobblehead Dad with me on the plane. I wasn''t quite sure what to expect given that I knew it was a memoir based on Jim's experiences with cancer, but I was totally blown away by this book. It was uplifting, funny, poignant and thought-provoking. Jim offers twenty-five life lessons learned from his experiences as a father, as a newspaper columnist, and as a cancer survivor. As soon as I finished it and put it down, I felt like I knew Jim personally and I was pretty reflective on my life and on my role as a father. Read my review of Bobblehead Dad and then order a copy for yourself. You will not regret taking the time to read this amazing book and having your own time of reflection.
Saturday April 2, 2011
Two of my children just got their tax refunds for 2010, and fortunately they are both saving them for housing for next year at college. But were it not for that need, I suspect that they would have taken their refunds (a few hundred dollars) and spent them. While it is true that this might have stimulated the economy (insert smile here), they are much better off for having some personal discipline.
Teaching teens how to manage their money can be a real challenge. Use these tips to teach them to save, spend and use credit wisely.