My wife and I “tried” for a girl. We failed. We have all boys, but I’m okay with that. If we had had a girl, I would have hoped she’d be as active and off-the-charts cute as this little snowboarding ballerina. I haven’t written a book on parenting but since my kids all turned out to be solid citizens and honest people, I think my wife and I did okay. If there is a “magic pill” to parenting, you don’t need to read a book to understand what it is. Ready?

Stay involved. Be there when they need a parent. Be there when they say they don’t need you. I helped with homework until I couldn’t. I read to them. I encouraged them. My wife was involved in every aspect of their childhood and volunteered at school. We were involved, but I never tried to be their “friend.” I repeated “I am your parent, not your friend” dozens of times, and I guess it worked.

Stay involved, like these parents are with their darling little girl. Share their lives but don’t smother them. My wife and I were there for a shoulder to cry on, but when they did something wrong, I didn’t justify it and I didn’t encourage it.

Stay involved and some day, you can be friends with your kids and share their cuteness as children– when they are adults. That’s it.

It’s in two parts. Enjoy some joy on Sunday night!