No Off Season...for dads

So he finally turned 16. A monumental age no doubt. There are so many lessons to be learned during this pivotal year, especially as we prep him for college. One of the first lessons that we need to teach is how to handle money. If you're reading this and you were in college, you can remember the hundreds of Visa & American Express offers you received before you made it to your dorm room. And don't forget the many banks luring you in trying to give you free checking.  So here's a sure fire way I believe you can prepare your child on how to handle money: by you handling it well yourself. This is also known as modeling. There was a PSA commercial in the late 80's or early 90's where a boy was smoking. The dad walks in and asks the boy where he learned to do that. The boy responded, "From you dad. I learned it by watching you."  I'm amazed at how much our children mimic the things we do.  So give them something positive to mimic.  I could write so much...

Have you ever been driving and you went into a daze?  Ever started to daydream as you see familiar sights?  This happened to me some days ago.   As usual, we had a fantastic time in New York visiting family and friends.  We were on our way back to Bowie, MD and just crossed over the George Washington Bridge heading south into New Jersey.  If you're familiar with that area, you know the Jersey Turnpike begins soon afterwards.  But there are a whole bunch of signs leading in a number of different directions.  I was in a fog after a long, but exciting day.  My wife was sitting in the front seat looking gorgeous and my two boys were in the back seat doing...who knows what they were doing.  Then out of the blue, my youngest said with conviction, "Daddy, you're on your way to Patterson."  Patterson was to the left and the Turnpike was to the right.  If we were to reach our destination in Bowie, MD, I would have needed to vear to...