As a Gen X dad, I grew up in a different world. We rode bikes without helmets and disappeared for hours. Today, however, we track our kids' phones and know their location in real time. We schedule, supervise, and structure so much of their offline life. But at the same time we hand them a device that connects them to the entire world. Unfiltered. Unrestricted. Unrelenting.

Today we have a conversation about giving our teens a financial head start. This is about something that most of us did not learn early enough and that is how to give our kids a head start with money. Not just how to earn it, but how to think about it, manage it, and let it work for them over time.

Being "present" doesn't just mean being in the same room as your kids while they're scrolling through TikTok. It means being genuinely involved in their lives-emotionally, mentally, and physically. It's having those small, everyday conversations, showing interest in their hobbies, and even sitting down for a meal together, free of distractions.

Today, we're going to talk about something I think we can all relate to: getting our teens off their phones and into the gym—or at least getting them moving! If you’re like me, you’ve probably noticed how much screen time has taken over our kids' lives. Whether it’s social media, gaming, or just plain scrolling, it’s easy to see how much time is spent glued to a screen.

But today, I want to focus on how we, as parents, can encourage our teens (and ourselves, to be honest) to develop better habits. We all know exercise is crucial for physical health, but the truth is, it’s just as important for mental health. And in this digital age, the need to get off the screen and into some physical activity has never been more urgent.

In my experience college admission preparation is best pictured as a four-legged stool. Each leg supports the others. If one leg is weak or missing, the whole thing becomes unstable. But when all four legs are solid, you're sitting on something strong!

Now, if you're a Gen X parent like me, you probably grew up with the idea that money talks were just something you avoided or left for later. I mean, the advice we often got was ‘just work hard, keep your head down, and you’ll figure it out.’ But things have changed, and today’s Gen Z teens face a whole new set of financial challenges that we didn’t have to deal with growing up. With everything from student loans to credit cards, and the rising cost of living, we can’t afford to put off these discussions anymore.

I want to talk today about education—specifically public school versus private school—and the part of the conversation that tends to get glossed over. Because when people debate education, they often focus on buildings, class sizes, rankings, and price tags… but not enough on responsibility.

You know, when your kids are little, everyone tells you it goes fast. And you nod, and you smile, and you think you understand what they mean. But what nobody really explains is how it goes fast. Not just that the years fly by—but that the role itself quietly changes underneath you.