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From Men to Boys
“Nobody calls men ‘men’ anymore. Have you noticed? Women went from ‘girls’ to ‘women.’ Men went from ‘men’ to ‘boys.’ This is a problem in the big picture. Do you know what I mean?” (Jules, from the film “The Intern”) Anne Hathaway’s character, in last year’s hit film, is surrounded by boys. Hoodie-wearing employees at […]
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True Praise, False Pride
“My problem with the Grand Canyon is Americans are too proud of it for my liking. The Grand Canyon was like that when they found it! And’s it’s not like it was hard to find.” (Ed Byrne) If you’re like me, you’ve already experienced some Christmas-themed reunions with extended family this week, and you’re likely […]
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TBT: Hearing Aids for Our Children
“People can only hear you when they are moving toward you, and they are not likely to when your words are pursuing them. ” (Rabbi Edwin Friedman, Family Therapist) As parents, we think we have to say all the right things in order for our children to learn right from wrong. So we chase after […]
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The Either/And
“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.” (Steve Jobs) As leaders of our families, we walk a precarious line between establishing high standards for our kids on the one side, and loving them unconditionally on the other. It can feel like a paradox of sorts, as […]
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No Longer Necessary?
“When mothers talk about the depression of the empty nest, they’re not mourning the passing of all those wet towels on the floor…They’re upset because they’ve gone from supervisor of a child’s life to a spectator. It’s like being the vice president of the United States.” (Erma Bombeck) While enjoying my daughter’s brief visit from college […]
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Pest Control
“Assumptions are the termites of relationships. “ (Henry Winkler, “The Fonz”) We all know that the Fonz could ride a chopper and kill the ladies; heck, we even knew he could jump a shark. With a leather jacket on! But who knew he could give relationship advice? Above is a brilliant quote that succinctly states […]
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Talking Up to People
“Tact: the ability to describe others as they see themselves.” (Abraham Lincoln) Most of us know that if you want to gain favor with someone, speak to them as if you look up to them. This doesn’t mean flattering them with false compliments, it just means talking up to them at the level they like […]
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What’s in Your Hand?
“You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.” (Golda Meir) I love this quote from Ms. Meir because you can read it in two distinct ways—and how you read it tells you a lot about your present mindset. So, how did you take it? Did you imagine yourself as the reasonable one, willing to offer […]
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Grown-ups Raising Grown-Ups
“Most of us become parents long before we stop being children.” (Lionel Kauffman) This statement couldn’t be more true in our family. Jenny and I were practically babies ourselves when we got married, and I shudder when I think of how naïve we were when Hannah came into this world. In fact, I remember looking […]
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TBT: Launching and Leaving
Human beings are the only creatures that allow their children to come back home. (Bill Cosby) (This is a difficult TBT, given the incredible fall from glory of the one who gave us the opening quote. I still love the quote, however, and I’m currently writing a new book on the whole idea behind it). […]